


Forgiven

by reginahalliwell



Category: Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Multi, Threesome - F/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-19
Updated: 2013-05-27
Packaged: 2017-11-29 19:20:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 39,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/690527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reginahalliwell/pseuds/reginahalliwell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Complete! Set in season 4, canon up to 4.06 "We All Go A Little Mad Sometimes" where the story begins. </p><p>No sire bond. Elena realizes that she can't live without either Salvatore brother, and Damon and Stefan decide that she shouldn't have to. They can all be mature about this, right? After all, vampires might get jealous like everyone else, but they're working on a much longer relationship timeline. They need to figure themselves out before they can figure out the rest of their crazy lives.</p><p>Starts out with lots of Delena, but includes both Delena and Stelena, as well as Damon/Elena/Stefan. Not much broslash.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

Disclaimer: I do not own _The Vampire Diaries_. I have simply taken what Julie Plec has done with these characters I love and made them do what I want instead.

A/N: There is no smut in this first chapter. Sorry. But there will be soon!

* * *

 

Elena was heartbroken as she realized, sitting on her porch with Stefan, what she was losing. Were her feelings for Damon, strong though they might be, worth losing Stefan over? Damon was wonderful, true. They had developed a strong bond over the past year especially, and with or without Damon, Elena wasn't sure where she and Stefan stood. But Stefan had been there for her for so long. He had saved her life so many times. With him, she felt safer than she ever had. She felt at home in his arms, felt joy when he smiled, and when they kissed, she never wanted to stop. But then, she had kissed Damon and felt…different…things. Happiness, certainly. Butterflies, yes. Safety…sort of. But she liked that. The danger, it was exciting. It scared her, too.

She had tested herself out on that trip to Denver, and it had only made things worse. The affection she had for Damon had seemed to be a whim then, but that wasn’t the case any longer. She could say with confidence now that she did have feelings for him, and that she couldn’t—or wouldn’t—ignore them anymore. But that meant hurting Stefan. Stefan, whom she had loved for years now. Stefan, who knew her better than she knew herself sometimes. Stefan, who usually let her make her own decisions. And here she was, making a decision.

She didn’t know what would come of it, but nothing would turn out well with Stefan if she tried to suppress her feelings for Damon anyway. This was important, this was a step. Elena knew she couldn’t be this indecisive forever. Something had to change. After all, change is good, right?

They sat there a while, both sad and not sure what to do. Before, when Stefan had gone on his ripper binge with Klaus, it made sense that she become closer to Damon, but now that he was back, she had no excuse. He told her as much. He understood then, that Damon was a replacement for him when he wasn't a good enough man for her, but here he was, guilt ridden, broody, "good" as ever, and she didn't want him. There was no reason to not love him just as she had before. Except…Damon.

He left first, giving her a pained look as he walked away. She felt guilty, and she was sure she looked it.

First she thought she wouldn’t go to Damon immediately. That would be like a knife in Stefan’s back. Sure, she had admitted her feelings, but that didn’t mean that Stefan would want to see her and Damon making out on their couch in front of him tomorrow. It would destroy him. After all, while her feelings for Damon had changed and grown, Elena still loved Stefan. That, she thought, would never change. But what did that mean about Damon?

Still, Elena knew she needed to talk to Damon. She knew that things were going to change now, and better to get this awkward part over with sooner rather than later. Elena went to the Salvatore house, knowing that Stefan would probably not be there tonight. He wouldn’t want to take the chance, and even if she didn’t go there, he wouldn’t want to face Damon. She didn’t want to face Damon, really. She was still guilty about her feelings, but maybe he would just know, wouldn't make her voice her betrayal aloud.

Before she could even knock on the door, he was there, opening it for her, a worried look on his face. That wasn’t an expression that graced his normally deviously gleeful face often. He could tell she was sad. Maybe Stefan had told him.

She started to say something, but Damon just pulled her inside. He closed the door and then leaned against it, pulling her in for a hug. “I’m sorry,” he said. Elena wanted to respond “No, you’re not,” but that part of her didn’t win out. This couldn’t be like before. She didn’t want him to think she was waiting for him to screw up or sabotage it, and she had to recognize that he might actually be sorry—not that Stefan and her broke up, necessarily, but certainly that she was sad about it.

Maybe he really did care about her like that. She had hoped that his very obvious affection for her was more than being about getting back at Stefan, or because of Katherine, or about just wanting that itch scratched, but that he actually…loved her? Is that how she felt about him?

She pulled away, taking his arm and leading him to the living room. He poured her a drink, knowing that if it didn’t help with the cravings or lowering her inhibitions enough to speak her mind, at least it was a way to occupy her. Give her something to look at—to touch—other than him. Not that he didn’t want that to happen, but that he wanted it to be right when it did.

When. Huh. Talk about confidence. Damon was pretty sure that was the direction this was headed, but even so…

After a long silence, Elena finally came out with it. “You know what happened…Stefan and I broke up. But you don’t know why.” She looked up at him and saw his face, a mixture of sadness and satisfaction, the latter of which he was trying (and failing) to hide. “Okay, maybe you do.”

“I’d like to hear it anyway,” he told her pointedly.

“You would,” she responded, and laughed. “Fine. Damon, I…” She trailed off, not sure what to say. I think I love you, but I’m not sure? I have vague romantic feelings for you? I want you so bad that I wake up aching for you?

Damon saw her floundering, and took pity. He scooted closer on the couch to her, taking her still full glass of bourbon out of her small hands. He looked in her eyes, searching them for some indication of her feelings, and then found what he was looking for. Rather than making a quip about getting between his brother and his girl, he took the sensitive route. “It’s okay, Elena, it’s the same for me.”

She sighed, and leaned into his chest, nesting her head on his shoulder. “I can’t…tonight… can you just—can we sleep now? Think about all this in the morning…” He nodded, picking her up and carrying her to his room, to his massive bed.

She hesitantly looked over at him before pulling off her hoodie and shimmying down her jeans, leaving herself in a camisole and underwear. He turned to smile at her as he shook off his shoes and his trousers, knowing she was taking it all in. He unbuttoned his shirt, removing it, then thought better of his choice, and retrieved a tee shirt from a drawer to go with his boxers. Much as he wanted more to happen, tonight was transitional, and Elena was not the type to jump his bones right after breaking up with Stefan, even though they both knew she wanted to.

She pulled down the covers on one side, and drew the heavy down coverlet over her after sliding in. Damon joined her, settling in beside her and pulling her close. They spooned, with Damon stroking her hair gently with his free hand. When the sounds of the night slowed, he whispered in her ear, “I do love you, Elena, and I think you love me back. And when you wake up in the morning, I hope that hasn’t changed.”

Elena turned her head so she could see him out of the corner of her eye, and smiled a little as a tear ran down her cheek. She closed her eyes and relaxed in Damon’s arms, not sure what the morning would bring.


	2. This Is The Way The World Ends

A/N: Smut ahead. Be warned.

* * *

 

Elena’s body betrayed her before she was fully conscious. She felt arms around her and immediately thought of Stefan, and before she knew it was wriggling beneath the sheets to arouse her bedfellow. Then she realized who was actually holding her, had a fleeting moment of panic, and steeled herself to remember that this was okay, that even Stefan knew that this thing between her and Damon needed to be addressed.

She writhed again, and this time Damon responded, pushing himself against her harder. She smiled, and then pulled away to turn over and look at him. “Good morning,” she said, not sure what was happening. She hadn’t meant to come over last night, hadn’t meant to sleep in Damon’s bed, and hadn’t meant to open this can of worms she wasn’t sure she was ready for—and yet she had done it all.

Damon blinked, pursed his lips a little, and decided to screw it all. He leaned towards her and gave her a gentle, but passionate kiss. Before it got out of hand, he pulled away, and greeted her in return: “Yes, it certainly is that.”

He broke the tension by smiling that Damon smile, but that only made Elena feel what she always felt when Damon looked at her that way, and she leaned in for another kiss, her hand going around his back to pull him flush with her. He groaned and then grinned into the kiss, ready to play whatever game she wanted.

She just had to figure out what that was. For a moment she let herself forget about Stefan, about how he would feel about this, and she just let go. Damon pulled back and looked into her eyes. His gaze was honest, and when she looked at him she saw that it would be okay. That this was right—much as it might seem wrong.

In a split second, things heated up. The moment Elena let herself love Damon, she did. She pushed him onto his back, straddling his lean body. His hands on her hips, the right mixture of caressing and bruising. She felt how much he wanted this—not that she hadn’t known before, when his body cradled hers and they were in each other’s dreams. 

He pulled his torso up, his head lifting to meet her in a kiss, but Elena pulled away to strip herself of her camisole. Her petite breasts were all he could see in that moment, and Damon could scarcely believe this was finally happening. He leaned up again, meeting her chest with his hand and mouth, his tongue laving her left breast while his hand massaged her right. Her nipples hard, Elena felt every nerve in her body tingle, and it was all because of Damon. 

Damon turned her over, straddling her now so that he could do the same with his own shirt. He threw it aside, and she got to see his beautiful chest once again. He leaned down again to kiss her, resuming his ministrations on her breasts, and then she couldn’t think anymore. He nipped slightly at her, licked, sucked, and caressed until she pulled him off her, needing more. She felt that familiar spark within her, like a fire kindling, ready to consume everything in its path. She jerked his face towards hers, unable to fight her own desires. They kissed, his tongue in her mouth and then hers in his, hands flying everywhere, bodies shifting in attempts to relieve that nearly unbearable tension they both felt.

Grinding against Damon, Elena felt the wetness pooling between her legs. The fabric clung to her skin like a wet swimsuit, but neither of them seemed to mind as Damon’s hardness hit her in all the right places. It wasn’t enough, though. She could barely think, her mind blank, her body only yearning to find her release. 

Beneath the covers, Damon pulled down her now useless underwear, nearly soaked through. She wasn’t going to be able to wear those again when she left. Not that she was thinking about leaving so soon… if Elena had it her way, she and Damon would never leave this bed. They would have to bring a few blood bags up from the basement, but they could spend weeks here just making love to one another. 

He kissed down her body, and Elena tried to move and stay still all at once. She tried to grip the hard wooden headboard behind her, grasping at it in an attempt to find some stability. She was completely out of control, and as his mouth and hands strayed further down her body, it only got worse. Er, better.

One finger traced a line from her lips down between her breasts, circled her belly button, then took a detour to her left inner thigh. The light touches teasing her, Elena groaned. It wasn’t enough. Would it ever be enough? Beginning to become impatient with Damon’s light touches, she wriggled her hips, hoping to shake his hand to where she really needed it.

He took pity on her, and moved his fingers to where he knew she wanted them. He dipped his pointer finger into her, feeling just how wet she was. “God, Elena…” he exclaimed, so turned on by how much she clearly wanted him. This wasn’t for Stefan, this was for him. Damon thought this sight might be the most beautiful he had ever seen. She moaned, an unintelligible response to his voiced appreciation. He removed his finger, then replaced it with another one, and then another, fingering her gently and taking satisfaction in the knowledge that she was going to come apart at his hands. He took away to look away from the sight of her to taste the evidence of her arousal. 

She moaned again, her hips nearly shaking now with anticipation. “Damon,” she whined, desperate for his mouth. He gave it to her. He licked her up and down, not just tasting her anymore but savoring the way she responded to him. He teased, barely touching her clit, then moving his tongue back down her folds, sucking and tapping with his tongue. His fingers helped, coated in her arousal, as he made circles around her clit, never remaining long enough, pressing hard enough, or moving fast enough to give her what she wanted. She was getting wetter by the second. He groaned as he felt his own arousal pressing against the bed, wanting to have his own release as well. She would have one first, though. She was so close. 

His hands caressing her, Damon finally dipped his head between her thighs again, paying more attention to her swollen bud. This time her legs locked around his head, every muscle in her body tense, wanting to keep him there until she got what she needed. He laughed lightly, as much as he could with his head in tight grip by her legs. He buried his face in her, sucking hard on her clit, circling it with his tongue in alternating rhythms. It took less than a minute more before she was coming, and then her body seemed to be fighting itself—she didn’t seem sure if she wanted to keep his face between her legs or push him away. She gasped as her orgasm rushed through her, vibrating throughout her body clearing her head and clenching her toes. She started to come down, and Damon felt it, lightening his touch so as to not over-stimulate her. 

Hands collapsed from the headboard onto the pillows around her, and Elena’s body slowly relaxed, her head swimming. Damon licked again, wanting keep her on a ledge without pushing her over a second time. She lifted her head off the pillow to look down at him, at the edge of the bed, in between her legs. Her eyes widened like she still couldn’t believe he had made her feel like that, that she had come so hard and so long, that she wanted already to come again. “Oh my God, Damon…” she could barely put words together. “That…that was…”

“Come on, Elena, don’t give up on me now. We’ve barely gotten started.” He smirked, and when the movement of his face caught the light, she could see that his nose, cheeks, and chin were all covered with the same clear liquid that he licked from his lips.

She blushed, her skin still burning with desire for him. She reached a weighty hand towards him, beckoning him to return to her. He crawled up her body, reaching to move some hair from her face so he could kiss her. She put her hand on his neck, holding him to her, tasting herself in his mouth and feeling his tongue move with hers. His tongue that had just been in another part of her body. It was exhilarating. He had already awed her, but something—perhaps the hardness she could feel pressed against her wet core—told Elena that she was still in for a treat. 

Somewhere it that exchange, Damon had lost his underwear as well, and although he had touched himself a bit during his enjoyment of Elena’s arousal, he hadn't come yet, and was desperate to be inside Elena. 

They kissed again, and Elena could feel how much he wanted her. Her renewed arousal gave them the same goal. This new intimacy between them… Elena had not slept with Damon when she was a human, so she didn’t know if it would have been the same, but now, she felt like she knew what he was thinking and feeling, that they were one person. His desire was her desire. His pleasure was hers. 

Elena flipped them over so that she was on top, resting on his hips. She lifted herself up, and knowing what she wanted, Damon guided himself in as she moved back down. Elena bit her bottom lip when they came together, and then leaned down to kiss him. He groaned into the kiss as she took him in completely. She rolled her hips, both of them savoring the feeling. She was so tight, so full. 

She rode him a few strokes, tightening around him with her muscles, before he flipped them over again so he had more control over his motions. He pulled almost completely out, then pumped back in, both of them nearly panicked in their motions. Elena was still not used to vampire speed, so she couldn’t be sure, but she thought the two of them were moving in tandem faster than humanly possible. The bed beneath them let out the barest of creaks at each of Damon’s thrusts. 

Feeling himself getting close to finding his release, Damon slid a hand between them, finding the place where they met. With each movement he circled her clit with two of his fingers. Elena’s hands were all over him. She grabbed his ass, pulling him closer and closer as she met his thrusts. She raked her nails down his back, drawing blood that made them both even more desperate. She held on to him with her legs wrapped around his back, she grasped strands of his hair in her hands, keeping their mouths fused together. 

Finally, when neither of them could stand it any longer, Elena cried out softly into Damon’s neck, wordlessly asking for what she wanted. He knew, and worked his fingers faster around her clit, sending her careening over the edge. Every muscle in her body seemed to spasm, her fingers clenching in the sheets as she came. Damon groaned in pleasure as she clenched around him as well, and then kissed her. Though she was still caught up in her own orgasm, Elena opened her eyes, and as Damon came inside her, they made eye contact, saying everything with that one look. Damon held her gaze until he finished, then sank down on top of her, still inside her. 

Though neither of them needed to breathe anymore, they were both gasping, their bodies aching in a whole new way now. He was slumped over her, his body weight completely resting on top of hers. He moved to pull out and shift himself off her, but Elena held him tight and looked in his eyes again. “Not yet,” she said, wanting them to be connected for a moment longer. 

In the wake of their lovemaking, they kissed lazily, their eyelids heavy. When Damon finally pulled himself off Elena and settled down next to her, their bodies spooning together, he held her tightly. She whispered, “Damon.”

“Hmm?”

“I love you.”

He kissed the back of her head and she could feel him smile into her hair. “If you don’t know at this point that I love you, then I don’t know what to do.”

“Oh, I think that that was pretty clear.”

This time he laughed aloud, and simply responded “Good to know.”

They lay there silently for a few minutes, cuddling—if she told anyone that Damon Salvatore cuddled—before she could feel him hardening again, the evidence of his renewed arousal pressing into her lower back. 

Elena gasped in surprise, asking “Again? Already!?”

He smirked a mock apology, looking at her as she turned her head to see him. “Elena, I don’t know if you’ve been paying attention, but I’ve been waiting for this for a very long time.”

“Well I guess we’ll just have to make up for everything we’ve been missing out on,” she agreed.


	3. It Hurts So Good

Elena couldn’t get enough of him. If this wasn’t lust, she didn’t know what was. Except, after the first round—Elena had lost count of how many times she had come already—he did something she didn’t expect. She was still a bit out of breath, and she thought Damon had fallen asleep, but he hadn’t. 

“Come here,” he said, gesturing to himself. Elena moved until she was in his arms, his hands cradling her like she was precious. He moved to get out of bed and then picked her up, kissing her forehead. 

He carried her over to his bathtub, which she hadn’t noticed him leaving bed to fill up. It didn’t surprise her—Damon had made her feel things she didn’t know she could feel, and she had been pretty out of it after some of the times. 

“A bath,” she said, not sure why.

“A bath,” he repeated. “I thought you might enjoy relaxing a bit after tensing all those muscles so much this morning.” She looked at the clock—it was afternoon now and she didn’t know what time they had woken up but it must have been a while ago. She was exhausted, and Damon’s bath sounded perfect.

Elena looked in his eyes and smiled, because even though he had a devious grin on his face and she knew he was already reliving some of the memories of their tryst this morning, he seemed sincere, and she did appreciate the thought.

He set her in gently, careful not to drop her too quickly, and to let her acclimate herself to the warmth. It was hot, almost scalding, but when her body adjusted, it felt wonderful. Surprisingly, Damon stepped in and seated himself behind her. This was the right kind of tub—deep enough to sit up and sill have most of you covered, and it fit two people very well. 

She leaned back against him, closing her eyes as she rested her head on his chest, her hair fitting into the crook of his neck. She sighed, and Damon asked what was wrong.

“Nothing,” she said. “For now, everything is right with the world. I just wish it would stay that way.”

She felt Damon nod his understanding. 

His hand reached over the side of the tub and pulled a loofa out. The bubbles were concealing both of their bodies, but he already knew her body like it was his own, pushing the loofa under the water to gently wash her. Elena was touched. She could feel how aroused he was (again!) and yet there was nothing sensual about his touch, wanting only to make her feel appreciated and loved. 

Still, Elena turned around sharply, splashing a little, and kissed him. “I love you, Damon.”

He smiled, and replied, “I know.” Elena laughed and pushed him, splashing more water around the tub. He teased her, “Now you better watch yourself, or you’ll have to clean all that up!”

She smiled and splashed him again. “Now you’re just asking to be punished,” he scolded.

She resolved herself, settling into the other side of the tub. “Okay,” she offered, “So make me stop.”

He grinned and said, “Oh, Elena Gilbert, be careful what you wish for.”

“I wouldn’t have said it unless I meant it.”

Damon leaned toward her, taking hold of her hands with his own and lifting them out of the water, pulling himself on top of her. Doing so, he splashed even more. Elena laughed out, “Now who’s splashing! I guess you’ll just have to be punished too.”  
“It looks like we’re making quite the mess,” Damon said. “I suppose we’ll just have to stop.” That was the last thing on either of their minds.

Their mouths met, Damon hungry not just for blood but also for her. He took her lower lip and tugged at it with his teeth—human teeth, for now. She ran her hands all over his back, down his legs, feeling the muscles tense. "It's just water," Elena said. "It's not like we're getting blood everywhere." Elena's statement was well intentioned, but the mention of blood only made the hunger worse for both of them. 

"Not yet, anyway." Damon's response held a promise, one he intended to keep. "Besides, it's not like I haven't perfected the art of blood-stain removal over the years."

Without thinking, Elena muttered "I could have used those skills before I became a vampire, too." She realized what she had said, and a faint blush crept over her cheeks. It would have been rosier, but she was running a little low on blood, and her skin was pale. 

Grinning at her, Damon responded "Oh, dear Elena. Still so shy. We could have had a lot of fun with that particularly human part of you. Shame." 

Elena shoved Damon (she tried to do it lightly, but still didn't know her own strength, so he ended up slamming back against the porcelain, spraying up bubbles and quickly-cooling bathwater) and tucked a strand of damp hair behind her ear. "I don't know," she remarked, trying to get the mood back and recover from her embarrassment, "I think we're doing pretty okay right now."

It worked. Although Damon still clearly had more...sanguine...things on his mind, he returned to the Elena at present and smirked. "Let's go for something a little stronger than 'pretty okay,' huh?"

They both knew that things were anything but the mediocre "okay" she had understated. This was the happiest she had ever seen Damon, even considering Denver. And Elena, although sad about Stefan, was also happy. She certainly sounded happy, Damon thought, at least when they were in bed together.

Elena could see that glint reappearing in Damon's eyes, a slight smirk on his face, and knew that he would never get enough of her. That part of it scared her. Sure, Stefan and she had a love that some called 'epic,' but their lovemaking didn't ever seem quite this desperate, this unrelenting. When they were done, Stefan looked down at her, smiled, and kissed her. He always made sure that she had her pleasure, even though sometimes he didn’t have his. He spent his time worshipping her, but when it was over they moved on with their lives. When she and Damon finished, he seemed to want to start all over again right then and there--okay, so sometimes they moved--as if they hadn't both just come until they were shaking and exhausted. But Damon didn't seem to feel that exhaustion the same way Stefan did. Or maybe it was just that Stefan had been with her for years, and Damon had her for mere days at this point. Elena stopped herself, realizing she was here naked in Damon's arms, and she was comparing it to sex with Stefan. 

Damon had been kissing her neck during her thoughts, and when she turned even further away from his (in the process baring her neck even more, but also letting up that something was on her mind) Damon looked her over, slowing his kisses, leaving one right below her ear. Then he pulled back and frowned. "Oh boy," he said ominously.

Elena tried to return to the happy place her mind had been in a few minutes ago, but her face gave her away. "It's nothing," she insisted, even as her eyes said "It's Stefan."

Damon sighed. He had known this was coming. Sure, he had hoped that he might be able to...distract her...from those thoughts for a while, but they were bound to catch up with her at some point. "Okay," he said, standing up in the bathtub, intending to get out.

"Wait, what are you doing?" she asked, confused at his movement. 

"Do you really want to have this conversation here?"

"Why does there have to be a conversation? Let's just, let's pick up where we left off." As she finished speaking, Elena reached into the water, which was nearly clear now as almost all the bubbles had dissipated, and squeezed his lean thigh.

Damon looked for a moment like he was going to just let it go, let her tough him and lose themselves in each other again. Then he rolled his eyes, and pulled her hand gently off him. "Nope," he exclaimed, enunciating the 'p' at the end of the word like he couldn't believe he was saying it. "We're going to talk before anything else happens. Come on, get your wrinkled butt out of my tub."

Elena acquiesced as he pulled her up and out, reaching for a towel as she got her footing again. Surprisingly, he dried them both off with that towel, taking the time to even get her calves dry and leaving her hair damp. He handed her a fluffy robe as he finished drying himself. 

He hugged her close after grabbing a robe for himself. "Come on, sweets, let’s have a chat." They held hands as they walked out to the living room, and she curled up on the couch, pulling the robe to cover herself. She wasn't really comfortable being naked out in the rest of the house, even though there was no one else here. Damon watched her sit down and went to pour himself a drink, thinking a moment and then adding one for her.

He turned and handed her the glass, sitting close to her as he sipped from his own.

"Am I going to need to drink this?" Elena asked, although she knew even if she didn't need a buzz, it would still help with her bloodlust. 

He gave her a look, both of them knowing what they needed to talk about. She gulped the drink down and set the heavy crystal on the end table next to her, turning herself fully toward Damon. He finished off his drink too, regretting not pouring himself a double.

"Okay," she admitted. "You want to talk about Stefan."

He nodded. "You're right--I know we need to talk about it. I wanted to just enjoy this--each other--for a while, but, Damon, I can't stop thinking..."

"I know, Elena, me too." 

She looked at him, puzzled. "He might have been your boyfriend, Elena, but he's been my brother for a century and a half. It's not like I like hurting him, contrary to popular belief." Damon took her hand in his. “If you need to stop this, if you need to go back to Stefan… well, tell me now, so I can start coping.” So he could start being big bad Damon again, without a care in the world, just drinking, and feeding, and fucking as he pleased.

Elena looked confused, so he took her hand in his. “Elena, my relationship with Stefan is complicated, and you’ve only seen pieces of it. So we’ve been fighting over you. So I’m mad at him for making me become a vampire. So I loved Katherine, and Katherine loved him. So we’ve done a thousand other things to make us hate each other. That doesn’t mean I love him any less than you do. As much as I want you, as happy as I am that we’re together, it kills me to know that Stefan is suffering for it.” He paused, not one for long speeches. “Really, Elena, I get it.”

“But doesn’t it hurt you that I still love him?” That she voiced his worst fear so casually hurt Damon to his core. He was never going to be enough.

“Damn it, Elena.” For a moment he wanted to be carefree Damon again. Shut everything off. Not that it every worked when it came to Elena, but he could try to pretend. For her, he could put on a brave face, make her hate him. “Of course it hurts.”

She didn’t want to look at him anymore, ashamed of what she felt. This was worse than before, when she tried to deny her feelings for Damon to everyone, including herself. Now she had feelings for two men. Two brothers. And she had slept with both of them now, broken both of their hearts at one time or another. How could any of them possibly be happy now? There was no way out of this, no way everyone could win.

What had Elena been thinking, giving up Stefan for Damon? Not that she hadn’t wanted to, or that she wasn’t loving every second with Damon, but what did she think it would solve?

“This isn’t productive, Elena. What do you want me to say? Should I make this easy and tell you I don’t love you anymore, that you should go back to Stefan and forget this ever happened? I’m not going to do that, Elena, I’m sorry. And I’m pretty sure Stefan is the same.”

“No, that’s not what I’m saying at all. I don’t know what I’m thinking, anyway. It’s not like Stefan still wants me. He broke up with me. Because of my feelings for you. So where does that leave me and Stefan, exactly?” Elena laughed sadly. “What is wrong with me?! I’m an idiot to even think that there is a ‘me and Stefan’ anymore.”

“Elena, you’re an idiot to think there isn’t a ‘you and Stefan’ anymore. My brother is going to love you until you die, and then he’s going to make sure he goes with you. And I don’t blame him. I feel pretty much the same way.” Damon still held her hands in his, though it was getting harder. Even if Elena hadn’t admitted it, he knew that she still loved Stefan. She was right, though. There wasn’t a way to fix this. Unless…

There’s no way she would go for that. Would she?

“Elena,” Damon said. “Try to not feel guilty, just for a few days, okay? I have an idea. I’m going to talk to Stefan.”

She tried to protest, unsure how that could help anything, but she trusted Damon now. She had for a while now. “Okay,” she said, finally. “So, in the meantime,” she trailed off, “what does that mean for us?” She smiled hopefully. 

Damon grinned back. “It means more of what happened this morning. And this afternoon. And—” Elena cut him off by pushing him down on the couch, their mouths meeting again. Damon would talk to his brother tomorrow.


	4. You Can't Always Get What You Want

Elena grasped at Damon sleepily, her subconscious body not willing to let him get out of bed and leave her. He nudged her away gently, wanting to kiss her on the forehead but not wanting to wake her. He couldn't let himself continue to be distracted by Elena. The longer they remained in their little honeymoon stage, the worse it would be for Stefan and Elena. He knew they were both suffering. Stefan he hadn't seen for several days now. His brother had not come back that next morning as they thought he would, and so Elena and he had remained in bed, stopping their lovemaking long enough to grab a few blood bags from the basement and feed. But when he had heard Stefan's somber footsteps and the front door closing, he knew this was the time.

Elena could remain asleep for this. In fact, it might be better for everyone if she didn't hear what he was saying and try to interfere. Or, just to be safe, maybe he would take Stefan somewhere else to talk.

That was a good plan. If Stefan would go with him, that is.

He grabbed a shirt, put on some pants and shoes, and then softly closed the door to his--their--bedroom behind him as he headed downstairs. Elena's vampire hearing would not deter their discussion, he hoped for everyone's sake.

Stefan was sitting on the couch with a tumbler of bourbon in one hand, the other rubbing an eye as he furrowed his brow.

"Morning, brother," Damon greeted neutrally, trying to keep the glee out of his voice.

Stefan sighed, seemingly torn between defensive sarcasm and sadness. "Not in the mood, Damon. Just leave me alone, will you?"

Damon took a moment to pour himself a drink, and then seated himself in the chair adjacent to the couch. He sipped, not sure how to begin. He decided to start with the obvious. "Elena's here," he said.

Stefan looked wounded, but he must already have known. Smelled her. Heard her, maybe. Something. He nodded. "Do you have to throw it in my face, Damon? We're over. She wants you instead. I get it. No need to keep reminding me. It's all becoming very clear."

Shaking his head, Damon said, "No, brother, you don't get it." He hushed his voice to make sure Elena couldn't hear, and asked, "Can we talk somewhere else? Somewhere more private?"

Making a face that suggested to Damon that he didn't care at all whether Elena heard what he had to say, Stefan looked like he was going to lash out and refuse. Instead, he sobered, and agreed.

They climbed into Stefan's tiny car, Damon letting him choose where they went. The younger Salvatore's choice didn't surprise him. It always came back to this. They were at the quarry. The place where it all began, where it all could have ended.

Getting out to sit on a boulder overlooking the water, Stefan shrugged. "Okay, you got privacy, now what do you want? To throw this in my face even more--oh, but you wouldn't want Elena to hear her precious Damon be anything but perfect."

The words stung, but Damon knew he deserved them, and on some level, he knew that Stefan was right about Elena. Some part of her would always want him to be better. Then again, his younger brother was hardly a saint, and now Elena had seen that first hand. Hell, Elena herself was hardly a saint any longer. She was a vampire now too, a killer.

"Stefan," Damon said with a sigh, "Can we just let it go for the moment? We've been through so much together, you and I. Elena is amazing, wonderful, well worth going to war over, but not if we don't have to."

"Who says we don't have to? Damon, you and I both know that neither of us is ever going to give up on Elena. And for us, that's a long time."

"Yeah, painfully long."

"The point is, I don't know what you hope to solve on this little outing. I was already pissed that you've wormed your way into Elena's heart. Now I can add her pants to that. Thanks for waiting until Elena and I finished breaking up before fucking her in our house."

"That's harsh, brother."

"But true," Stefan insisted.

Damon knew they had slept together too soon. It had finally been right for him, and for Elena, but for Stefan that must have been the nail in his proverbial coffin.

"I'm sorry for that," Damon apologized. "I doubt it helps though. But I am sorry. And I know Elena is too." Stefan still looked angry, so Damon continued, "If it makes it better, I know she was thinking of you some of the time she was with me." He could tell. He had been watching Elena for years, could practically read her mind. He knew that as happy as she had been to finally be with Damon, she couldn't help but think of Stefan. It hurt, but Damon had known all along that it wouldn't--couldn't--ever be just him and Elena. It was better now, though, because he knew that now it could never be just Elena and Stefan either. They were all in this together, in for a lot of heartbreak and pain and love and sex and blood.

Stefan hadn't come around to that train of thought yet, apparently. He was still hung up on the fact that his ex girlfriend had hooked up with his brother the morning after they broke up. Fair.

"Look, Stefan, the way I see it, we can fight over her forever if you want. You get her this decade, me the next... maybe along the way she'll even have some human toy. But that's a no-win scenario. We'd all be miserable. Is that what you want?" Damon asked, knowing the answer. Of course not. Stefan wanted Elena to stop loving Damon and come back to him completely, and Damon ideally wanted the reverse. What did Elena want? Her indecision had always been a problem, but here it might be the solution.

"What are you saying, Damon? It can't be what I think you mean..."

"Stefan, what happened with Katherine... that wouldn't happen here. Elena is not Katherine. Even as a vampire, even loving us both, she and Katherine are still very different. Katherine toyed with us, me especially, hid us from behind each other's backs, and played us against one another. Made us be jealous. You have to know it wouldn't be like that."

Stefan was getting the picture now. What Damon was proposing... what was Damon proposing? That he and Damon both date Elena separately, or that the three of them...together...it brought up painful memories.

Neither Stefan nor Damon was particularly concerned about social mores, but Elena certainly was, and she was never going to go for this. Whatever this was. Why Damon seemed to think she would was beyond Stefan's comprehension. Then again, Damon had clearly surpassed Stefan in his understanding of Elena now that she had transitioned. Whereas Stefan still hated what he was and tried to suppress his nature, Damon embraced his. While that had caused problems in the past for Elena's sensibilities, the freedom she felt now must be drawn to that above all else.

But Stefan didn't know how to be like Damon. He walked that thin line between Saint Stefan and the Ripper so cautiously, and if he diverted, he didn't know what would end up happening. Maybe they did balance each other out in that way. Thinking, Stefan laughed to himself as he considered the idea that Damon might be the more moderate brother. Elena had made him so. He had come so far from the thing that Katherine and Stefan had molded him into, and if Stefan was being honest with himself, Damon deserved Elena just as much as, if not more than he did.

They realized they had both been lost in thought, and came back to themselves around the same time. Damon looked at Stefan hopefully, and said, "I can't lose you either, brother. I want us to make this work, not just for Elena, but for us. We've spent so much time apart, and yeah, we are supposed to have forever, but lately forever is seeming shorter than it used to."

Stefan nodded. "I get it. It still sucks. But I think you might be right. What other choice do we have?"

"Well, then I guess we should talk to Elena," Damon suggested.

"If it's okay, I'd like to talk to her first. We need to clear the air some more about...what happened." Stefan still looked pained, but he seemed to be going along with it so that was a good sign at least.

"Fine," Damon agreed shortly. "Let's go, then."

They returned to the car, and headed back to the Boarding House, ready to open a can of worms with Elena.


	5. Talk Isn't Cheap

Elena was not at the Boarding House. She, waking up to find her bedfellow missing, decided to go to the Grill and meet up with Caroline. Bracing herself for a guilt trip about Stefan, Elena headed inside, grabbing a two top and ordering a soda from the nearest waiter. It was mid afternoon, a dead time for the restaurant, so there were very few people dining, and even fewer milling around. There was a drunk at the bar that reminded her of Alaric. And Damon.

God, what was she doing? She had passed the point of no return, she had actually slept with Damon. No matter how much she had felt for him in the past, she had always been able to write off or deny her feelings for some excuse or another. Now she wouldn't be able to do that. He had been inside her mind before, that she knew now, but it was different.

Caroline, when she wasn't making Elena feel guilty, did actually cheer her up. And Caroline had slept with Damon at one point, so in that way she should also be able to relate.

Speak of the Devil. Elena looked up from her coke and saw Caroline coming toward her. She stood up, smiling, hoping that this would go well. She really didn't need any more confrontation any time soon.

Caroline grinned and came in for a hug. Good. The blonde seemed to be in a good mood. "Hey!" she greeted. "What's up?"

Elena smiled back and then hesitated just long enough for Caroline to sense that this wasn't just going to be a friendly conversation. This was important girl-talk time. They sat back down, and Elena toyed with her hands, fidgeting. She took a sip of her drink, wishing it were something stronger. In public she might still be a teenager, but now she was going to one forever, and drinking ages seemed so insignificant.

"Stefan and I broke up," Elena offered finally. Caroline looked troubled, upset for her friend not just because she seemed hurt, but because she thought it was the wrong decision.

Before Elena could really explain, Caroline jumped in and started giving her advice: "Elena, you just became a vampire. Everything seems crazy and different now because you're still adjusting. It's sort of rash to break up with Stefan just because things aren't working perfectly right now. I mean, you died, remember. That's a lot to go through, and Stefan's had a hard time of it too, you know. I just think you two need to try to work it out and--"

Elena interrupted before Caroline could finish her tirade. "Look, Caroline, I know that you're a cheerleader for Team Stefan, okay, but there's a lot more going on with this. Stefan and I both agreed that we needed to take time apart, and it's not all related to the vampire stuff.

"I mean, yeah. I'm different in that respect. I've fed on people and I'm not the kind of vampire Stefan wants me to be. I'm figuring out what kind of vampire I want to be. That's really hard to do with Saint Stefan looking over my shoulder."

"Saint Stefan? Elena, you sound like Damon. What is going on?! Stefan loves you, he's not trying to make you do anything. But he does know what he's doing. He could help you." Caroline really was cheering for Stefan. When Caroline said Damon's name, Elena could tell that she still hated the elder Salvatore brother. Not that Caroline didn't have reasons to hate Damon-she certainly did. What he did to her--how he treated her...Elena could scarcely believe that the Damon she loved was the same person who did those things.

Elena knew that Damon had changed over the years she had known him. She knew that it was certain that he was still capable of that kind of behavior, and he probably always would be. Then again, so was Stefan.

"Come on, Caroline, you know Stefan isn't as perfect as he makes himself out to be. And I'm certainly not perfect. And neither is Damon. And I guess, right now at least, it makes more sense for me to be with someone that knows I'm going to make mistakes, that knows what being a vampire means. Stefan tried to get you on the 'bunny diet' too and look how that worked out. Damon is more in control of himself in that way, I think." When Elena finished speaking, Caroline laughed, not buying Elena's idea that Damon had any kind of self control.

She giggled, then sobered as she realized the implications of what Elena said. "Wait, what do you mean 'be with someone?' Are you and Damon _together_ together?! Or is he just helping you with the vampire stuff?"

This wasn't the way Elena wanted to tell her, but it was always hard with Caroline to get the words out exactly right with her interrupting and offering her opinion every minute or so.

She sighed. "Please, Caroline. Stop being so judgmental. I just want my friend right now, okay." Caroline knew she had guessed correctly. Elena was with Damon now, though she didn't know how far it had gone.

Trying to keep herself from saying everything she felt, Caroline took a breath and smiled. "Okay, friend reporting for duty. Girl talk! Tell me everything. I promise I will just sit here and listen."

At that, they both laughed. Try as she might, both Elena and Caroline knew the blonde wouldn't be able to keep quiet for long.

"So, I'm with Damon now. We got together after Stefan and I broke up the other night. After the hunter's curse. And Caroline, I know what you must think. But even Stefan agrees, he has known for a while that it was coming to this. I needed to figure out this thing with Damon."

"Remember when he and I went on that trip to Colorado to see Jeremy? Well, we kissed that night. And... once before that too," she said, remembering the past year and how it took her relationship with Damon from confusing glances and hidden feelings to spontaneous make out sessions. "So when I say that I've been feeling things for Damon for a long time, you have to believe me, Caroline."

Caroline nodded. "I can't believe you didn't tell me about you two kissing! Twice!" Elena smiled sadly, and said, "Well you've been so gung-ho for my relationship with Stefan I didn't think I could talk to you about this. Especially since you and Damon have a history."

"I get it. Totally. But still, Elena! This is huge. I mean, this is Damon, we're talking about here."

"I know. But there's more. Caroline, I met him first. And he was sweet, and nice, and he seemed to care about me even back then. You remember that night... the night of the car crash. Well, while I was waiting for my parents to pick me up, I met Damon out in the road. He was doing his "lie in the road pretending to be dead and feed on the good Samaritans that stop to help" routine, but obviously I didn't get that then. It was sort of creepy, this guy just being in the dark out in the middle of nowhere, but I wasn't freaked out. We talked a few minutes about what I wanted for my life, and what he wanted, and then he made me forget it all. My parents came and got me, and then Stefan saved me. All this time, I though about what would have happened if Damon had been different at the beginning, if I met him first, and sure enough, that was all true, I just didn't remember it until I transitioned."

They were both silent for a moment, Caroline taking in this news. "That's... wow. But does that really change anything, I mean, why does it matter?"

"It doesn't really, I guess. But that's kind of the point, I think. I met Damon first, and didn't remember it. But if I had, wouldn't I still have fallen in love with Stefan? I think maybe that whole 'I met Stefan first' excuse was me not really knowing how to say what I felt about either of them. Because I really did love Stefan. A part of me still does. When he saved my life, how could I not? And he was there for me that first year like no one else was. But for as long as I can remember, now I know that I also had feelings for Damon."

At Caroline's wince, Elena sighed. "Try harder, Caroline. You've seen the good in him, you can't fault me for holding on to that through the bad."

"I guess I just don't see why you can do that with Damon but you're punishing Stefan instead of sticking it out with him." The blonde was still unwilling to believe that Damon was worthy of anyone's love.

"And that's not all. After Rose kidnapped me for Elijah, Damon brought my necklace back, and told me that he loved me. He said how sorry he was that he was that selfish, and that he just wanted to say it once, for me to hear it, and then he kissed me on the forehead, compelled me to forget, and put my necklace back on me. It all came back to me when I turned, but I have no idea why I didn't realize that something weird had happened. I mean, one minute no necklace, the next I'm wearing it and getting ready for bed. I should have known something happened, I guess. But I think that says a lot about Damon, Caroline. Don't you? He had me right where he wanted me, could have done--" Elena winced, "anything and then made me forget, but he didn't. He was a gentleman. It was awful, remembering that. It was like a part of me had known for a while that he felt that way, but seeing it all over again playing out like a movie in my head was horrible."

Caroline looked like she she almost felt sorry for Damon for a moment, but then it went away. Instead, she said, "Just because Damon wasn't a complete ass for once doesn't excuse everything he's ever done. I mean, he killed Jeremy! He killed Alaric more times than I can count... I just don't get how you can let all that go."

"I haven't let it all go, Caroline. I know that that's still there, inside him, and I'll never forget those things he has done. But I also know that some of that was his fucked up way of dealing with life, with Stefan, with the cards he was dealt. You know it was Stefan that forced him to become a vampire? He was going to let himself die, but Stefan made him transition."

"I'm not saying that Stefan's perfect, Elena, but I thought you loved him! And if you love him so much, how could you be having these feelings for Damon?" Caroline looked down at her phone and texted something, then looked back up. "I just asked Bonnie to come meet us. I think she might be more helpful than I am right now."

Helpful, Elena thought. Right. Because Damon didn't make Bonnie's mom a vampire, or doing anything else to make her hate him. Hah. Elena felt overwhelmed, and she just wanted to be back in Damon's arms. Maybe this hadn't been the best idea.

"Fine, call in the reinforcements. It's not going to change the fact that I love Damon. I think I've known that for a while. At least since Damon almost died from the werewolf venom, I've known that I feel something for him. But when Stefan was gone, and it was just Damon and I, things changed. He was different, and so was I. Without Stefan, we worked really well together, and that chemistry between us just got stronger."

"But Stefan came back, Elena. Remember? You chose him. You chose to go to him when you thought we were all going to die. Matt told me about that choice you had to make. Can't you see that there's a reason why this all seems like it happened so suddenly... before you became a vampire, you still wanted to choose Stefan."

"I chose all of you, Caroline. If Damon had been here with you and Tyler and Bonnie and her mom, I would have done the same thing and left Stefan to possibly die alone. But you have to know, sometimes I play that decision over in my mind and I'm not sure. If I had chosen to go to Damon instead, I might still be alive right now. Matt and I never would have gone off that bridge, and Stefan wouldn't have had to make a choice like that."

Caroline confusedly looked into Elena's eyes... did Elena really make that choice based on where the majority of the people she loved were, or was it about Stefan and Damon? She supposed she would never know. Maybe Elena wasn't even sure.

Elena was about ready to continue her defense of her feelings for Damon when Bonnie arrived, and Elena and Caroline bother turned to greet her. Bonnie hugged them both and then sat down, all business. "So what's this about you and Damon?" she asked, clearly needing to know what was going on with her friend.

Elena sighed. Here we go, she thought.

"This is about more than just me and Damon. That's kind of the point I was trying to get to earlier, Caroline. Damon and I are together now, and it's wonderful. Mind blowing, actually. And yeah, you don't even need to say it. It was way too fast after Stefan and I broke up. I do really feel bad about that. Still, being with Damon is amazing. I feel like I'm myself for the first time in a while. Since I became a vampire, things have sort of felt wrong. Things with Stefan were wrong, things with you guys have been different, and I haven't felt like me. It's weird, because Stefan was the one that made me feel normal after my parents' death, but this time around it was Damon who made me feel like a person again.

"Even so," Elena continued, pausing, not sure that the world wouldn't end after she said what she was going to say, "I still love Stefan. I love them both. When I was with Stefan, I thought about Damon, and now that I'm with Damon, I'm thinking about Stefan. I don't know what's wrong with me. Why am I like this?" Elena pleaded with her friends, hoping that they wouldn't hate her or judge her. 

Caroline and Bonnie shared a concerned glance, not sure what to say. It was clear that Elena was serious about this, that no amount of protesting on their part would change the fact that Elena loved Damon and wasn't hiding it anymore--not from herself or Damon or her friends. But she loved both brothers? Wasn't that just like Katherine? The comparison was disconcerting. Bonnie leaned over to her friend and hugged her, trying to smile.

"I know it's hard. You'll figure it out though, Elena. In your heart, you'll know what's right for you. And even if you hurt them, I think they'll both still love you."

Elena didn't voice the concerns that she had. This wasn't going to be easily solved. She had gotten herself into a mess that maybe couldn't be fixed. And everyone was bound to end up hurt.

Since no one seemed sure of what to say after Elena's confession, they toyed with their drinks until Elena excused herself to go to the bathroom. She needed a minute to herself, to compose her thoughts and face her friends again. That certainly hadn't gone as well as it could have. The happiness she felt at being with Damon was overshadowed by her confusion about her feelings for Stefan, and she couldn't even share her good news with her friends because they both hated Damon!

Elena walked into the restroom, pulling the door shut behind her. As she moved to lock it, the handle opened the door from the outside, and the last person she expected to see walked in, locking the door behind him.

"Stefan," Elena greeted, her brow furrowed. She was barely able to meet his eyes, her shame and confusion making her want to crawl into a corner and hide. Of course, that's what she was doing now, but it wasn't working out like she had expected.

"Elena," he responded in kind, his arms crossing over his chest. "We should talk."


	6. Passion

A/N: This is really short. And filler-y, sort of. But it needed to be done.

* * *

 

Swallowing hard, Elena looked up at her ex-boyfriend. "Here?"

Stefan nodded, "I think here. I went looking for you at the boarding house and saw the note for Damon that you would be here. I arrived a while ago and heard most of your conversation with Bonnie and Caroline." Full disclosure, huh. Well, she could hardly be mad at him for eavesdropping after everything they had been through together.

"Okay," she agreed. "So..."

He didn't talk, and she didn't know what to say. "Well," he finally began, "I guess we need to clear the air a little." 

She nodded, hoping she would be ready to deal with whatever emotions rose to the surface. "I don't know what to say."

"I think you can probably think of a few things, Elena."

"You're right. I want to say that I'm sorry I moved on so quickly. I know that it must have hurt you to know that I... slept with Damon." The words sounded stupid coming out of her mouth. Elena knew that what she had done wouldn't be fixed with an apology. "But if you heard that much, then you must have heard what I said after that.... that I still love you."

"I did. Is that how you feel, or were you just saying that to placate Caroline and Bonnie? They aren't exactly fans of Damon, so I wasn't sure."

"It is. I mean, I have a lot of feelings right now, and I can't exactly figure them all out, but I do still love you. It's different though. My feelings for you have been changing all this time, and it's not the same as when we started out. I'm not the same." Elena leaned against the wall, not sure what to do. This situation was painfully awkward.

"I know that. And maybe this whole thing with you and me has been more about me needing to figure out how I fit with the new you, not how you fit with me. You have changed, and not for the worse. But I'm also figuring out how to be with vampire you. I'm not good at being a vampire, Elena. I try to fight the urges, but more often than not I fail. Caroline is amazing, even Damon is better at it than I am. But that doesn't mean I need to make you feel guilty as you figure out how to be yourself as a vampire. That's my own problem."

Elena nodded. "Thanks," she offered.

Stefan uncrossed his arms. "What are we going to do, Stefan?" Elena asked, not sure where else they could go with this. She loved Damon, she loved Stefan, and they both loved her back. No matter what, someone was going to end up heartbroken.

Probably two someones. And one of them would definitely be her.

He rubbed his forehead distractedly, looking at the floor rather than at her. "I don't know. I'm figuring all this out as I go along, too. I mean, did you think I had a plan? I just knew I loved you and I hoped that would be enough. And then when it wasn't, I... I don't know. I don't know what to do with myself now. I mean, I came back to Mystic Falls for a visit, but I stayed because of you. If you and Damon are going to do your thing now, I should probably go. I mean, live my life. Travel. Try to meet someone new. Right? Is that what you want me to do, Elena?"

"No! No, Stefan. Please don't leave. I... love Damon. But I didn't stop loving you. I just don't know how to deal with the way I am now and the way you see me. You look at me differently. I can see you pitying me, trying to fix me. I'm not going to get fixed, Stefan. There isn't some magical pill to make me human again, some spell to change me back. This is me now, and I think we all have to get used to that. Damon already has, even ahead of me, which is probably why I have been more comfortable with him... why I have trusted him... more lately than anyone, even myself. But that doesn't mean that I don't love you. I just think we need to readjust, figure out how to be ourselves around each other again." Elena finished, taking a deep breath. There was too much dramatic discussion happening these past few days. She was exhausted from all the feelings being dredged up, all the emotions running wild.

"Does that mean you want to... be with me... again? Have you gotten Damon out of your system, so to speak?" His words stung, his biting tone a reminder of his hurt feelings, of the betrayal he felt about Elena and his brother.

She blushed, thinking about the past day she had spent in Damon's bed, with some part of him (mouth, hands, other things...) between her legs. She didn't think she could even get him out of her system. That is, if she couldn't before, she certainly wasn't going to be able to now. Looking down in shame, Elena admitted, "No. I'm sorry. I do love Damon. That's not going to go away. I don't know what I mean. I don't want... I can't let..." Sigh. "I wish this were easy. I really am not trying to string the two of you along like Katherine. But I don't know what to do, Stefan."

Elena looked up at him, tears welling in her eyes. They pleaded with him to understand, to forgive her, as she whispered, "I love you both. I don't know how I can choose. I don't think I want to," she said, knowing how selfish she was being as she heard the words leave her mouth.

He walked up to her, slowly moving them closer together and towards the wall. "I know," he said, wrapping his arms around her. He rested his head in the crook of her neck, pulling her tighter, feeling the warmth of her body in his own. 

Pulling back, he looked into her eyes, then leaned down to kiss her on the mouth. He started slowly and softly, then with more fervor they became impassioned and needy. She pulled away gasping, searching his eyes for some explanation of what he was--they were--doing here.

Stefan ignored the question in her look and went in again, attacking her with his mouth, pressing her against the wall. Someone knocked on the door, needing the restroom, but Elena gasped out a "Sorry, still in here!" and they went away, miffed. Stefan's body held her against the wall, Elena knowing that they were more of a match now than they ever had been before. Maybe now he wouldn't make love to her like he was going to break her. 

Her hands ran through his hair, pulling at the short tendrils as she gasped from his attention to her neck. She was more in tune with her body now, and knew that her heart was pounding extremely fast. She could hear Stefan's mirroring her heartbeat, both of them desperate for some contact, some release. 

Removing his mouth from her neck, Stefan returned to her own, his teeth pulling at her lips, his tongue mingling with hers as he ground himself against her, his hardness straining through his dark jeans. Elena could feel her own arousal, and was surprised. This whole thing was a bit of a shock, but that didn't stop her body from reacting naturally. 

She wrapped her arms around his neck and used the leverage to pull her legs around his waist, letting his body hold her against the wall, the crown molding digging into her back. She groaned as his body pressed into hers again, the friction of their bodies rubbing against each other through their clothing both exacerbating and alleviating her frustration. It felt good, so good, but Elena wanted more. She felt her body craving Stefan's again in a way she didn't expect after being ravaged by Damon so often and so recently. But Stefan's body still knew her, and she his. They still fit together. He still looked at her with so much love, so much hope.

She tried to close her eyes, forget all the bad that they had gone through and just think of the good as they dry-humped each other towards release, but when she felt herself on the precipice, ready to fly over it, Stefan abruptly pulled away, dropping her body to the ground, to lean against the wall.

She held onto his arms with her own, needing his body to steady her on her feet. When her brain finally came back around she was angry. She had been so close, and he must have been too. She searched his eyes, demanding an answer for why he had stopped them. 

Stefan simply took her hand in his own, and with a look that said everything and nothing, opened the door and led her back out into the restaurant, where Caroline and Bonnie were no longer sitting. They must have seen Stefan follow her into the restroom and fled, not wanting to deal with the drama.

He continued to lead her out to the parking lot, where he said, "Damon's waiting. We should go," as he opened the passenger door of his car for her, and then climbed into the driver's seat, ready for an awkward drive back to the boarding house.


	7. Take a Chance on Me

A/N: Slow going, I know. Smut coming again soon, I promise! I appreciate the kudos you guys have given me, but I would love some actual feedback on the story :)

* * *

Damon was predictably sitting on the couch in the living room. He had foregone the glass and brought with him an entire bottle of bourbon. The crystal decanter was empty, so he must have gotten a new bottle out and been too lazy to deal with pouring it.

Elena and Stefan walked in, their ride home having been mostly silent. Elena was pissed at him for leaving her on the edge of an orgasm so abruptly for no reason. She was sure it was his way of punishing her for sleeping with Damon, or of reminding both of them that he could still make her hot.

Regardless, they hadn't spoken of it, and the way home she had instead been thinking about what was going on. It seemed like Damon and Stefan had spoken, which was good. She would never want to be the reason for them falling out, but it seemed more and more like the case.

"Elena, Stefan," he greeted, careful to not show his cards too easily. He didn't know what had transpired between the two of them when Stefan went to speak with her, but neither of them looked very happy.

Elena sighed and sat down near Damon, but far enough away that no intimacy was visible between them. Happy though she was to see her lover, that didn't mean she wanted to throw it in Stefan's face. Part of her wanted to hang all over Damon now and show Stefan how happy she was with him, but the other part remembered that Stefan must have been hurting earlier, probably still was.

So, she kept a distance between herself and Damon, and was relieved that Stefan sat down in a chair on her other side, making it clearer that she wasn't taking sides. "So did you two work out your issues?" Damon asked pointedly.

"Hardly," Elena said. Clearly there was still some unfinished business between the two of them. "And frankly, I'm not sure what the point of it would be. I love you both, and you both love me--what good can possibly come from that?"

"The point, Elena," Stefan said, looking to Damon for his input as well, "is that Damon and I don't think it's realistic for use all to keep playing this game. First you and me, now you and him...it's not working. You know that, Elena."

Elena nodded, still not sure what the two of them could possibly be leading up to.

"So, Stefan and I had a nice little chat earlier, and we think we might have come up with a solution."

"Oh, that's great. You two going behind my back to make plans and then bring me in at the last minute without involving me in the decision-making. Gee, I've never heard that one before," Elena's words were harsher than she meant them, but the sentiment was still true. She was always the one that had to go along with whatever they decided, and most times she wasn't even in on the plan before it was executed.

"Elena, it's not like that," Damon said. "Stefan and I were brothers long before you came along, and no matter what happens with you, we know that family is the most important thing." His eyes told her how much he loved her, but his words stung.

Logically, Elena knew that for all Damon and Stefan's hatred of one another, it just proved that they were family and always would be.

"We just think that there's a better way to go about all...this..." Stefan said, continuing Damon's train of thought. "And of course you'd have a choice, Elena. Neither of us wants you to be unhappy. We just think we might have a way that all of us can be instead of one of us being perpetually miserable." That person had been Stefan, of late, though Damon had certainly taken his turn for heartbreak and angst.

"I'd love to hear it," Elena said, questioning the entire situation. Who says these two vampires got to make her decisions for her? They always had, in one way or another, but she was supposed to be an equal now. Maybe weaker still because of the century and a half they had on her, but even so, she should be able to make her own decisions.  
Damon nodded, and Stefan started to explain. They had agreed that it might be best coming from him, since he was the most recently wounded party. "Elena, I love you so much. You know that. Even though things have been harder between the two of us lately, I do still love you."

"I love you too, Stefan," she answered softly, looking apologetically at Damon.

"And Damon loves you as well," he continued, and Damon smiled at Elena with a twinkle in his eye.  
Elena took Damon's hand, not moving any closer to him, but squeezing it in her own hand. "And I love you too." She sighed, taking her hand back. "Therein lies the problem."

"Well, maybe not. It would be really...difficult...for all three of us, I'm sure, but Damon and I think we should try something. How would you feel about dating both of us?"

There was silence while Elena thought about what he--they--were suggesting. She took in the implications of his words, knowing that this was something she would never even have considered before. Being a vampire had changed her in more ways than one. She knew that the world did not look kindly on such relationships, that people hid the truth from friends and family in order to avoid derision or judgment. But then, they were already hiding from the world. If certain people knew what she was now, that she had died and was now a vampire, she would be done for anyway.

But wouldn't that make her just like Katherine? What was it that she had told Elena when bringing Damon the cure for the werewolf bite? It's okay to love them both. I did. Anything that Katherine thought was acceptable surely couldn't be. She had seen their obsession with Katherine drive both brothers mad. Damon's world had been shattered by the discovery that Katherine had been alive and well the whole time, and her doppelganger had driven a wedge between the brothers more than once.

This couldn't be a solution. Elena's own mother Isobel had warned her against this very thing... having a Salvatore brother on each arm could very well be the end of her, and of them.

But there was something pulling her towards this idea. If she was honest with herself, Elena had fantasized about this very thing a few times. She dreamt of a world where it was alright to love them both, where she could love Stefan and love Damon, and for that to be okay. But so much resentment had built up between the two brothers over the past few years, and Elena felt so torn between the two of them. The energy she had spent dealing with her feelings for Stefan and Damon had exhausted her, trying to make sure she had the right feelings for each brother, making sure she didn't get between the two of them. That clearly hadn't worked out so well.

"What...exactly...do you mean by that? I mean, is this like a menage a trois sort of thing? Because I don't know that I would be okay with that..." Damon laughed.

"Elena, what makes you think that Stefan and I would want to fuck each other? Not that we haven't shared certain...intimacies over the years, but Stefan's and my bond is brotherly. This is about us both being able to love you, not about us being able to love each other."

"Well, actually," Stefan broke in, "I think this is still about the two of us, Damon, just not quite in that way. We've spent so much time fighting over Elena, this would make that stop. We could be on the same side again."

"Can we cut the 'fighting over Elena' talk? I'm not a prize to be won, you know. Just because I love the two of you doesn't mean I can't go and fall in love with someone else instead." Elena said the words, making sure that they understood that just because they love her doesn't mean she has to be with them. Except she wanted to, so that wasn't much of an argument. Or that somehow by fighting over her one of them could 'earn the right' to her. She chose who she wanted to be with, and she wanted them both. And they both seemed to want her.

Both Damon and Stefan nodded, understanding that she was her own person and didn't define herself based on the two of them, and that any relationship she was in was because she wanted to be in it. "Right, of course," Damon agreed. "And no one is saying that couldn't happen. As much as we think so right now, forever is really a long time and who's to say that any one of us could have a change of heart, solving this whole problem. Could happen. Probably won't. But, like I said, forever is a long time."

"So, basically, Elena," Stefan continued, "If you want us, you can have us. No hiding, no jealousy, no choosing one over the other. You and Damon and be together,"

"and so can you and Stefan," Damon finished.

Elena laughed and then covered her mouth in embarrassment. "Sorry," she said, "But the thought that either of you has the ability to not be jealous is kind of hilarious. You know that's never going to work. I mean, when you found out how Katherine was playing you against each other, you know how awful you felt. How is it you think that's not going to happen with us?"

"You are not Katherine," Stefan said sincerely.

"You don't know that," she said, "I'm a vampire now. I'm sure that before she was turned Katherine was somewhat similar to me, and the vampirism changed her."

"No," Damon argued forcefully, "Human Katherine was nothing like you, and vampire you is still nothing like her. Even if you shut off your humanity, even if you became a cold blooded killer, you and Katherine would still be different people. You. Are. Not. Katherine. And this is not the same situation. Stefan and I are both different now, and you are a different person than Katherine."

"Damon's right--the fact that we're even having this conversation says it all. We just all have to be aware of each other and make sure to be considerate. And honest. We have to communicate." Stefan stood up to get out some glasses, handing one to Elena then to Damon, and finally taking the bottle of bourbon from Damon's hands, pouring a generous amount in each person's tumbler. He set the half empty bottle (Damon had been nursing it for most of the conversation) on the table, then returned stand near the couch.

"To taking a chance," he toasted cautiously. Lifting his glass in the air, he waited for Damon and Elena to join him.

Damon's glass met his first, and Damon smirked and muttered, "This should be fun."

It was sure to be interesting, at least. That is if Elena agreed.

For a few moments, neither Salvatore was sure if this had all been for nothing, if they would have to returned to their feuding over their love of Elena, to the certainty of misery and anger.

Then, Elena sighed, shrugged, and met both Damon and Stefan's glasses, the crystal clinking as she said, "Why the hell not? It's worth a try."

They each took their glasses back and drank, Elena downing her bourbon in a few gulps. Damon and Stefan followed suit, less nervous than before but still unsure of what the future held for any of them.

"Oh, God," Elena said after setting down her glass. "What are we going to tell people?" Jeremy, Caroline, Bonnie... what would they think of her?

"No guilt, Elena," Damon said, "At the end of the day, your friends will love you no matter what. And there's nothing wrong about this, so don't let anyone tell you differently. Even Caroline. That blonde needs to get off her high horse."

"I'll talk to Caroline," Stefan said. "I think if it comes from me it will be better. She's been against Damon, for good reason, from the start, and I think that as long as she knows that we all want you to be happy, she'll see that it's okay."

Elena nodded, hoping they were both right. This could either be the best decision she had ever made, or the worst. She hoped it wouldn't ruin everything, but honestly, things couldn't get much worse. Why not try and see what happens?


	8. Home is Where the Heart Is

A/N: This chapter contains some plot elements from season 4, like Jeremy being one of the Five. Just go with it. I'm more concerned with the D/E/S elements, though I do care about poor Jeremy :)

* * *

Damon had gone away to the kitchen right after their conversation, needing a bag of blood to satisfy his hunger, leaving Stefan and Elena in the living room. They had not really discussed the logistics of new arrangement, leaving everyone individually confused about what this would mean for them.

Where would Elena sleep? How would they all interact in public? How would they determine who got to sleep with Elena and when? Blood sharing? How would they all deal with having supernatural hearing and knowing what the others were doing at all times in the Boarding House? All these questions and more ran through their minds. Elena had been sleeping in Damon's room, but before that she had been sleeping in Stefan's.

Her own house was off limits--Jeremy wouldn't be safe to be around soon, and it hadn't really felt like home in a long while. Maybe it was time for Elena to do what she was supposed to that first night... pick a room. Not Stefan's, not Damon's... hers. A place she could retreat to when need be, a refuge from the world. A room of her own meant that she didn't have to choose between Damon and Stefan on a nightly basis, and honestly, she really liked sleeping alone occasionally.

Elena coughed her throat, and then said, "I'm gonna go pick a room. I think that I should have my own if I'm going to stay here and we're going to do this." Stefan nodded.

Damon yelled from the kitchen, "Not the one on the end--we're using that for storage."

Elena sighed. This was going to be a problem, to be sure. Either they were all going to be saints in this house, or they were going to get very comfortable with one another very soon.

Smiling at Stefan, she made a peace offering. "Why don't you help me choose?" she asked.

He nodded silently, and asked, "Where's your stuff?"

Elena blushed slightly, ducking her head down. "It's in Damon's room. I'll get it later." Stefan looked as though he might say something for the briefest of moments, but then thought better of it and forced a smile to his face, taking her hand gently and leading her upstairs.

"This seems sort of silly," Elena said, tucking hair behind her ear with her free hand. "I mean, it's been so long since I felt like you and I..."

He nodded, "I know. I want us to get back to that. I actually think this might help. Elena, I think that so many of the problems could have been fixed by acknowledging your feelings for Damon."

"Are you saying this is all my fault?" she asked, getting angry. They reached the top of the steps, and Elena looked down the long hallway at all the possibilities. This wasn't even the only wing, either.

"No, no, of course not. I'm just as much at fault, if not more so. I'm the one who made you feel like having feelings for Damon was wrong, that he wasn't worthy of them. I don't think either of us really deserves you, Elena, but to say that he was less deserving than me was a lie I told you--and myself. After my ripper binge I was overcompensating, righteous, and pretentious. And I think both of us knew that Damon's feelings for you were definitely not one sided, but I didn't want to accept that."

Elena nodded, accepting his admission of guilt. She had done some bad things, but Stefan was in no way guiltless. She took a turn into one of the rooms on the right, looking around to see if it would do. Wood paneled walls and ugly carpeting... nope. Try again. She turned around and went back into the hallway, deciding to try the room across from that one.

It was alright, much better than the previous choice. Some floral wallpaper donned the walls, a canopy bed in the center of the room. It didn't suit her as well as she'd like, though. Elena supposed she could always redecorate. She was sure that even without her own money, the contractors could come through.

She was about ready to settle in here, thinking that she most likely wouldn't find anything better, but Stefan pulled her back out into the hallway and led her towards another door. She wanted to question him, ask why he was doing that, but as soon as she looked through the door she knew why. The room looked like it belonged to her already.

A curved oak headboard and frame supported a queen sized bed off to the side of an open room, pale blue paint covering the walls and a navy blue bedspread setting off the yellow accents on bookshelves, a desk, and dresser. There was an antique mirror over the dresser, and a vase of flowers on the desk, an antique velvet covered chair in front of it.

A gray rug with yellow abstract patterns covered parts of the hardwood floor, and some books and trinkets from her house had been scattered around the room, making it look lived-in. On a small nightstand by her bed, a single white rose was in full bloom.

Elena turned to look at Stefan, incredulous at the work that had been sone completely without her. "How did you...?" she started to ask.

"It's been a long time coming. I sort of figured that you would be coming to stay here at some point, maybe not under these circumstances, but still. I know that it can't replace the feeling of your own home, but I want you to at least feel like you have a place that's yours. Change whatever you want; Damon and I just sort of picked a few things we thought you might like."

"Damon?" she asked. "He helped?"

"It was his idea. I just made it happen. It's been ready for a few weeks. Even though Damon and I clash on a lot of things, doing this for you was one thing we definitely both agreed on. What do you think?"

Elena moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around his torso and pulling herself in close for a hug, her cheek resting against his chest. "Thank you," she said, her voice slightly muffled by his shirt. "I love it." Looking up at Stefan, she let go of all the hurt and the pain, and he seemed to do the same. Things would still be hard between them, to be sure, but that they both wanted to make it work meant a lot. The room was certainly a gesture of good will, even if he had thought to do it before their breakup. They both listened a moment, aware of Damon downstairs, still in the kitchen.

He leaned down to kiss her on the forehead, their relationship still on the mend. Tentatively, she leaned up to meet his mouth with hers instead. They kissed gently, being sure that no bitterness or anger seeped into the contact. She did still love Stefan, of that she was sure. It just wasn't the same as before, and probably never would be. They had to find a new way to be together. A way to reconcile who they used to be with who they are now.

Elena thought back to their first kiss. She had been so young, so sad, so hopeful for the future. So much had changed between now and then. She knew Stefan so much better, although things had certainly been simpler before. It was easier to love him then, before all the heartache. Then again, she had probably been easier for him to love then, too.

"Stefan," she said, pulling away from his lips but remaining in his arms. "Can we just try...to be honest with each other? I don't want to feel like I'm lying to you when I'm with you. I want us to be okay."

"That's all I want, too, Elena. We can make it work, so long as we both want to."

She nodded, then leaned up again and whispered in his ear, "Kiss me."

And he did. They worked their way up slowly, mouths meeting and tongues finding each other with passion and patience. She worked her fingers through his hair, remembering how much she loved him and how wonderful this felt. He moved his hands up and down her back, feeling her body beneath them. He let her set the pace, not sure how far she would take them.

When Elena began to back them towards the bed, he pulled away from her long enough to sweep her up in his arms and carry her the rest of the way, letting her bounce off the mattress as she dropped the two feet down onto it.

She laughed, Damon forgotten downstairs, and pulled him down with her. For these few minutes at least, the rest of the world was blocked out. Not a care in the world, the two of them rediscovered what it was like to be together. To be happy.

Stefan's hand ventured up beneath her shirt, and Elena allowed the action, savoring the feeling of his large hands on her. She kissed him passionately, their tongues mingling as they hadn't done in a long time.

Smiling through the kiss, Stefan pulled some hair out of her face to look her in the eyes. "I love you, Elena," he said sincerely. It was the first time in a long time he had said those words and she didn't feel guilty hearing them.

She smiled back and their eyes closed as she reached up for another kiss, pulling his weight fully on top of her.

Damon pushed the door slightly more open, and ruined the moment: "Christening the room, I see? Don't mind me, just wanted to bring up some more of Elena's things."

Elena nearly shrieked. In their fervor they had both stopped listening for Damon's movements downstairs, and to their chagrin he had taken them by surprise. She pushed Stefan away instinctively, not sure what the appropriate reaction was to this intrusion. Stefan moved away in response to her shove, but a look of hurt crossed his face and then he glared at Damon.

Elena started to stutter, trying to come up with an explanation that might ameliorate the situation. None came to her, of course, because there was no excuse that would help.

Damon stopped her before she could embarrass herself. "Elena," he said, "It's fine. Calm down. No harm done." Looking at Stefan's face, he chuckled, "At least not for my part."

Elena looked between the two brothers, Stefan on the bed with her, but now a short distance away, and Damon just inside the door holding a bag of her clothes and toiletries. She felt caught, trapped. She closed her eyes and took a breath, then finally got out, "Actually, um, would you both mind if I had some time... just... um..."

Before she could finish, Damon helped her get her thought across. "Brother, it looks like this room is already paying off. Let's leave Elena to her thoughts."

Stefan sighed and nodded, squeezing Elena's hand and kissing it before standing up and moving towards the door. He glanced at Damon on his way out, furrowing his brow, not sure why the elder brother wasn't following him.

Damon walked towards Elena, and as she reached out to take the bag from him, he set it on the bed next to her. "I'm sure you two will finish that later," he said, no malice in his voice but a smirk on his face. "In the meantime, don't you fret too much about Stefan and me. We're big boys, we can handle this. Just work on making sure you can." as he finished his statement, he leaned down and punctuated it with a firm kiss on the mouth, pulling her towards him as he deepened it, then pulled away and was gone, leaving her alone in her new sanctuary.


	9. Someday We'll Find It

Elena fell back on the bed, sighing with exasperation. She was sure that her face and chest were beet red. Luckily, her hair was covering her ears--those always gave her away, even if the rest of her body behaved. What the hell had just happened? If she could look forward to similar awkward encounters, then this was sure to be a bumpy ride. She knew that both brothers were aware and accepting of her relationship (emotional and physical) with the other brother, but knowing and seeing it were two very different things. Running her fingers through her long hair, pulling it out of her face, Elena decided to set that all aside for the moment and focus on putting her things away. 

She hadn't brought a lot of clothes with her, but she set about putting them in the dresser drawers anyway, and decided she would have to return home soon to collect the rest of her belongings. There was only so many times she could wear the same shirt over and over again before getting sick of it and wanting a little more variety to her wardrobe. She had brought her teddy bear with her, and some photos of her family, along with her diary, of course. She hadn't written in it in the longest time, but that diary still held her most private thoughts, and occasionally she liked to revisit it to remember how she was feeling or what she was thinking at a particular time. 

The one thing she had never entrusted even to her diary had been her feelings for Damon, fearful that someone would find it and read it. Still, as she fingered the full pages, she saw tear-stained entries and angry writing, and she was able to find evidence, subtle though it was, of her feelings for the elder Salvatore.

It reassured her to know that she hadn't been making the whole thing up in her head... Damon had been her savior while Stefan was gone, and had come to her rescue more times than she could remember. But even so, she could understand how certain people had a difficult time trusting Damon. He liked to play the bad boy, even though it was clear to Elena at least that he was extremely human at heart. His emotions ruled him, often more than anyone (including himself) would like them to, in much a different way than Stefan. He was no better or worse than the other, but the two were like night and day, for sure.

She set aside her diary and continued to unpack what was left of her belongings in the duffel bag. She took out the pictures of Jenna, her parents, Jeremy, even Alaric. There was one of Jenna and Alaric, one with him and Damon (she had snuck a picture of them once when they were both wasted and didn't care), one with her and Stefan... she wasn't sure what possessed her to bring that with her. They had been on the outs when she brought her bag to the boarding house, but she supposed that it was habit, that it felt right for her to have that with her. She knew that he kept similar pictures of them in his room, but this was a little different. Even at his worst, Stefan's feelings never seemed to waver from her, and she couldn't say the same about him.

Even though she had gone after him when he had gone ripper with Klaus, she would be lying to herself if she didn't admit that her feelings for him were briefly in doubt.

Elena stopped her musing, resolving herself not to think about any of that right now. She noticed that there were several empty frames resting on the desk, dresser, and nightstand, waiting to be filled with her pictures. She set about placing them in their frames, appreciating the thoughtfulness her boys had gone to. She smirked as she thought of them in that way. She had two boyfriends, brothers, and they were both as much hers as she was theirs. 

She heard a car door shut just outside and headed downstairs to see who was there, abandoning her stuff in its scattered state. Running downstairs, she opened the front door. Hmm. Stefan's car is gone. That probably means... she sped back through the house, listening to hear where Damon was located. He knew her too well--he was in his room, waiting for her.

"Did Stefan leave?" she asked, seeing him lounging on his bed pretending to read a book. 

"Why? Were you hoping he would?" Damon teased her. She shifted her hips and tilted her head, sighing. He smirked in response. "Fine. Yes, he left. Went to talk to Blondie Bitch." 

She narrowed his eyebrows at him and he rolled his eyes. "He's talking to Caroline. My brother may have mentioned some of what he overheard your friends say when you talked to them at the Grill. That one seems less that enthused about our love affair, so to speak." In lower tones, muttering under his breath, he added, "I can't imagine why." 

Elena flounced towards him, a disgruntled look leaving her face as he moved to meet her. He tossed his book aside, clearly less invested in it than in Elena. She climbed onto his high bed and he took her into his arms, just holding her close for a moment. She clung to him like she never wanted to let him go, and they both just savored the touch for long seconds. She nuzzled into his neck, her hair muffling her words. "I love you so much, Damon. Every moment I've been away from you today has been excruciating."

He thought for a moment and considered making a joke, but couldn't let himself. He had to be vulnerable some time. "Me too. It's been miserable. All this with Stefan has been hard on both of us, I know. But it's worth it, I think. Otherwise you'd be in here with me feeling guilty about not being out there with him. This way at least, there's a chance for us all. I couldn't make you choose between us, Elena. Stefan might, because he'd be more certain that you'd choose him, but for me it's more of a risk. I can't lose you, so if Stefan has to be a part of the plan, then it's worth it for me. It has to be worth it for you, though. Promise me that if you ever feel like it's not working, say something. Don't just let it go on because you feel like you don't want to hurt my feelings or Stefan's. We both care too much about you to want you to suffer for either of our sakes."

She looked at him, sad that he thought he was worth so little to her. She would choose him, she thought, perhaps. If it came down to it right now, she might choose him. Elena shook those thoughts away, not knowing her own mind well enough. She just hoped it would never come to that. Maybe she and Damon and Stefan could live their own little twisted faerie tale without anyone or anything getting in the way. Right, like that would happen. On average, things in Mystic Falls stayed calm for a week before something destructive happened.

Elena couldn't put any of those thoughts into words, so instead she just leaned in and kissed him. That, she knew, he would understand. Damon defaulted to physical expression, she had learned over the years, unwilling or unable to express himself verbally in a pinch. Instead, he snapped people's necks, or fucked indiscriminately, or bit someone he shouldn't. An act often said more than he could with words in the heat of the moment. It got him into trouble sometimes... okay, all the time...but here Elena used it to her advantage. She imbued every sentiment running through her into that kiss, every feeling of love and respect flowing through her lips and tongue. The hands she intertwined in his long, dark locks spoke words she couldn't about tenderness, about how much she appreciated him and cared about him. How much she missed him when he wasn't there. 

Damon tried to speed things up a one point, but Elena forcefully kept them at this pace, needing him to understand what she meant. Finally, he seemed to relax, his body and his mind accepting what her heart was offering him. They lost themselves in the intimacy of their embrace, simply holding one another and kissing, not speaking or pressing any further.

Pulling back, Damon finally kissed her on the forehead and then nestled near to her, them both lying flat on top of his bed.

Once Damon got past the whole "trying to get in Elena's pants" part of the kissing, it was easy for them both to just savor that act, the innocence of it. She molded herself to him, cherishing the warmth that radiated from him. In moments like these, she sometimes forgot all the drama that accompanied her life. It had been like that with Stefan, too. She pretended, in these quiet moments where the outside world fell away, that it was just her and her boyfriend, both of them perfectly normal and in love, with no cares or worries. No one trying to kill them or kidnap them. No one destroying their family and friends. Just the two of them, savoring the companionship of one another, knowing that when it all just stopped, they had everything they really needed. 

"That was nice," Damon said, smiling without the usual smugness that accompanied it. 

Elena nodded into the crook of his neck, kissing his jaw. "I'm glad you thought so."

"Well, I mean, it could have been even nicer, I suppose, but..." Elena smacked him playfully on the chest. 

"Come on, you loved it. I mean, we did kind of skip that part. Kissing me twice months and months ago and then having sex all of a sudden... I'm pretty sure that there are supposed to be a few steps in between." 

He smiled. "It didn't seem like you minded skipping to the best part," Damon said knowingly. She blushed slightly. He still had that effect on her. "But I know what you mean. And hey, if you ever want to backtrack and play out some teenage hormone-filled dance of restraint and anticipation, I'm sure that's a fantasy I can fulfill." 

She smirked, "I might have to take you up on that." She started to say, "It's only fair. Stefan and I did that..." but trailed off in the middle, sudden guilt taking over. Elena tried to look away, but Damon held her closer and bored his eyes into her until she couldn't help but look back at him. 

"Hey," he said, his nimble fingers tracing patterns over her arms. "Don't do that. The fact that you love my brother doesn't mean that you love me any less. I know that now. Isn't that what our little tempered make-out session there was supposed to prove?" She eyed him, seeking his certainty about that. She had hoped she got through to him, but was less sure about her own innocence in the matter. Damon was becoming more of a better man than she realized every day. 

"Yeah, but--" she started, before Damon interrupted.

"But nothing, Elena. I love you." He paused to let the effect of his words sink in. "I love you. And nothing is going to change that. Not you loving my brother, not you being human or being a vampire. Not you with your humanity or without it. I love you. I'm not going to give up on you just because you think you aren't doing the right thing. There is no right thing. You love Stefan too... so what? I get that. You got under both of our skins just as much as we each got under yours. There's no reason to fault yourself for that. I just hope that you don't get disappointed by either of us. Both Stefan and I still have a few more skeletons in our closets that you might not want to deal with."

"Damon, I don't know that there's anything that could change the way I feel after everything we've already gone through. I mean, you killed my brother. You compelled Caroline to... well, sometimes when I think about what you did to Caroline, it makes me sick. You've done so many awful things, and I know that, but I still love you, Damon. It was easier, believe me, to see you as the 'bad' brother, as the one who wasn't deserving of love, who didn't want it, but that's just not the truth. You and Stefan are two sides of the same coin, more alike than I wanted to realize before. If I wanted to make you pay for the things you've done, I had to feel the same way about Stefan. But I do love you, and I do love Stefan, and I can't seem to change that."

The other vampire nodded, kissing her softly. "Okay," he said. "So try not to feel guilty about it. And we might be similar, but we're not the same. He and I both know that we each have a different relationship with you, that what you do with and say to him doesn't have to be what you do with and say to me. I mean, you two aren't even sleeping together right now, though if what I walked in on earlier is any indication, that is going to change soon enough. So don't worry about try to treat us the same. It's supposed to be different, Elena. That's the fun of it."

She smiled and showed her agreement to his words. "You're right, I know you're right. And Stefan and I are working on things. You know things haven't been so good between us since I became a vampire. It's part of why I gravitated towards you so suddenly. You accept me for who and what I am more easily than Stefan does right now. But we're trying. We both want it to be better, so I'm sure we'll be okay."

"Good," Damon said, flipping her over onto her back from her position leaning on his chest. "Now let's stop talking about my brother. Actually," he finished. "Let's just stop talking. I can think of much more interesting things to do right now..."


	10. All These Things I've Done

Damon rolled them over until they were centered on his giant bed, and when he got them there he pushed them both against the headboard, using it as leverage while they both tried to pull the coverlet down and expose the sheets beneath. They slid down together, not wanting to sever the connection between their bodies.

Elena started to remove Damon's clothes, her own similarly being pulled off by her lover. He tugged at her camisole, pulling it off and leaving her in only her bra and underwear. Elena, once she got Damon down to his own underwear--boxer briefs today. An interesting choice, and one she was sure he was regretting down as his erection strained against the tight-fitting fabric.

Damon went to divest her of what few garments she still wore, but she clucked her tongue at him and wagged her finger as if telling him off.

"Not this time," she said, and as he looked at her wondering what she had in mind, Elena flipped the two of them over so he lay flat on the bed, adjusting the pillow beneath him so his head was at a more comfortable angle. She plucked a stray piece of clothing off the bed and threw it to the floor, then focused her attention back on Damon.

He ran his hand through her hair, holding it out of her face so he could look her in the eyes. "What..." he asked, trailing off as she put a finger against his lips to silence him. He nodded, eyes still searching hers, figuring out what she was thinking.

She replaced her finger with her lips, her tongue delving into Damon's mouth, searching its depths. He responded eagerly, still amazed that this incredibly woman finally wanted to be with him. Elena's mouth left his own, dipping down to lave her tongue against the spot just behind his ear, his neck, against his collarbones.

Damon caressed her body as his tongue worshipped him, his hands holding first her hips, then her ass, keeping her pelvis flush with his to provide the right friction as he ground himself up against her. She swiveled her hips once, as much for his benefit as her own, then stilled his hands, smiling.

"No more of that now," she said teasingly. His trademark smirk was back. Damon didn't know what had caused this sudden coquettish turn to Elena, but he wasn't going to complain. Not one bit.

"You sure about that?" he asked, venturing one last thrust. Elena laughed.

"It's up to you... I did have something else in mind first" she said, trailing her fingers down his body in a clear path to where their bodies me. She licked her lips. "But if you'd rather..."

He stopped her mid-sentence. "No," he said quickly. Clearing his throat, he continued, "By all means." 

"That's exactly what I was thinking." Elena grinned, and kissed him again, this time languidly letting her hands travel up and down his body, driving him mad with anticipation..

Elena moved from her position astride him, placing first one knee, then the other, between his legs and lowering herself back down onto his body. Dipping her finger to touch his lower lip, she let hot breath out onto his neck, nipping his skin with her human teeth. She could feel the tension in his body beneath her, the rigid muscles clenched in arousal and anticipation.

Damon let out a breath, clearly getting impatient. Elena chuckled and moved down his body, kissing his torso as she went. She dipped her tongue into his belly button, swirling it around before nipping at the trail that led down beneath his underwear. He  was on pins and needles, and she hadn't even gotten to the good part yet.

With no further ado, Elena gripped the fabric clinging to his hips and pulled down, Damon lifting his body off the mattress so she could get his underwear off, briefly and ungracefully bringing his legs together so they could be pulled off his ankles, then returning to their former positions on either side of Elena.

Damon lifted his head off the pillow so he could watch her, Elena's eyes focusing on his member, but lifting every so often to meet his gaze. She touched gently first with just the tips of her fingers, the barest of touches making him quiver and quake. Stroking up and down with one hand, Elena blew lightly on the insides of his thighs, heightening his arousal.

She licked the tip, tasting the bit of moisture that had collected there. Damon moaned, dropping his head back down to the pillow, eyes slamming shut. She had barely touched him. Here, Elena's confidence waned. She had given Stefan several hand and blow jobs, but that was Stefan. This was new. She had given Damon pleasure, and certainly he her. He had gone down on her, but this was new territory for Elena. She didn't know what he liked, what he didn't. What made him come quicker, what made him last longer. 

But she would find out.

Elena stroked him, paying special attention to places she suspected he might be more tender, pleased more and more each time he responded well to her touches. It was encouraging to see that she could please him in this way, that as new as it was the two had already fallen into an easy rhythm. Elena could be both the shy ingenue and the coquettish lover, and Damon could be as cocky or sensitive as the mood struck him. 

When Elena finally took him fully into her mouth, Damon's eyes clenched shut, his face twisted into a grimace of pleasure. His breaths were staccatos in the otherwise silent room, save only for the smacking of Elena's mouth on him. 

Damon's hands wandered, sometimes to stroke her hair as she pleasured him, sometimes to grip the sheets as he came closer to release. When Elena felt Damon getting very close, she pulled her mouth off him completely and continued to pump him with her hand. Had be been more in control of himself, he might have questioned what she was doing, but he was so lost he only continued to bask in his pleasure as its climax neared. 

Elena had become very self assured in the few minutes she had spent pleasuring Damon, confident now that she had plenty to offer him in that department, and she had an idea she wanted to try out.

She stroked him, up and down, just the right amount of pressure. At the same time, Elena licked and nipped at his inner thigh, tonguing the artery that lay in this most intimate place. She knew that this was stepping into new territory, but if she didn't introduce this into their relationship, she didn't know when Damon would. 

When Damon was just about to come, Elena allowed her fangs to come out and lowered her face to Damon's inner thigh. Ordinarily, she thought, she would probably bite him on the neck, but this was special. As she felt the first pulse of his orgasm, her fangs pierced the skin of his leg, letting the blood from his artery spill out, and Elena sucked on it hungrily.

Damon's response to the bite was just what Elena had hoped for--his orgasm alone might have been extraordinary, but with the bite and the blood-sharing, he came harder than he had in a long time. Perhaps ever. 

His legs quaked as his climax hit him and he felt the lifeblood leaving his body and entering Elena's. When it began to subside, Elena licked his thigh clean, the wound already closed and healing, and then turned her attention to the mess he had made on his stomach. She kissed his thigh once before licking the whitish liquid off his softening penis and then moving up to also clean up his stomach. She hadn't tasted him before as he had her, and now she wondered why she had waited. 

Moving up to lay flush with him, Elena settled as Damon returned to himself, still reeling from the enormity of the experience. Rather than saying anything, as he was still out of breath, Damon held her close, and pulled her tight against him, kissing her first on the forehead, then lightly on the mouth. They stayed like that for a few minutes, Damon resting and Elena enjoying the quiet.

"So... that was okay?" she finally asked, already knowing the answer.

She felt a rumbling in his chest that sounded like laughter. "Way more than okay, Elena. Definitely."

She smiled. "Good. So does that mean that I can do that more often?"

This time she did hear him laugh, and the tell-tale smirk had returned to his face. "Oh, yeah. Whenever you want. That's half the fun of having a vampire lover. So get ready, cause that means you get to enjoy that particular pleasure too.

Elena shivered as she imagined herself feeling what she had just witnessed Damon experiencing. She thought back to when he had let her drink his blood because the bags weren't doing it. Thankfully, she had gotten over that particular problem recently enough. She couldn't always depend on having Matt available for a food source. Doppelganger or not, Elena was just like any other vampire, and her transition from human to vampire had come with its challenges. 

But she was glad that now she could drink from blood bags--and from Damon--with no negative repercussions. Throwing up blood in public was inconvenient and messy. Not to mention a waste of perfectly good blood.

Damon watched as her eyes glazed over, thinking about that particular experience. Sharing his blood with her before they were together was amazing and terrible at the same time. He had had to deny the true intimacy of the act in a sort of deception of Elena and for Stefan as well, but he had enjoyed it immensely regardless. By her reaction, Elena had too, but then again, she was a new vampire and he had offered her blood, so that was hardly surprising. Still, the thought of their future blood sharing experiences--especially when they involved sex--excited him beyond belief

Getting her attention again, Damon whispered in her ear, "Ever heard of sixty-nine? Just think about that..."

Elena flushed, a vision in her head now of Damon and her pleasuring each other at the same time, sharing blood as they reached their climaxes... she gulped at the thought.

They might have pursued that particular thought but for the sound of the door opening to the boarding house.

"Crap," Elena said under her breath.

Damon laughed at her predicament, knowing that there was no way she could get back to her room now without Stefan knowing that she had just spent time (naked) in his room. He didn't envy the walk she would have through the common areas.

"Well, it looks like we'll have to try that out another time," Damon said, removing himself from Elena's embrace so that she could get dressed again. 

Kissing him goodbye, Elena put her clothes back on and slipped out quietly. Maybe she could still... nope. Her hopes of making it back to her room unseen were destroyed when Stefan heard her moving in the hallway and came to greet her. 

"Elena," he greeted, ready to say something else but stopped as he gave her a once-over, noticing her debauched look, clothes barely on correctly. He cleared his throat and forced a smile.

"Sorry," she squeaked out, using her vampire speed to rush back to the safety of her room, sad that she had just inadvertently thrown her sexual relationship with Damon in her other lover's face. They were going to have to figure something else out. Elena didn't think she could take much more of this sneaking around and guilt.


	11. Lost and Found

The rest of the night passed uneventfully, with Elena spending most of her time getting situated in her room. She did come out to get some blood--Damon had shown her where they kept their stash of bags. She might have gone out with Damon to feed, but that would cause even more tension between herself and Stefan, something she clearly didn't want to do.

She finished the bag and threw it away, then headed back to do some reading before she went to bed. Stefan and Damon, thankfully, had both gone out for the night. She was pretty sure that Damon wanted to go get drunk at the Grill--it was something he did occasionally when he missed Alaric or when he just needed to get away. Stefan went out to hunt for some animal or another, then to see Caroline, who apparently needed more convincing about Elena's affection for his brother.

They hadn't appeared in public yet as a threesome, but a few close friends were at least aware, or suspected the truth of their new arrangement. Still, they were figuring out the chinks in their plans, and it would take some time before everything went smoothly. Any more awkward encounters like earlier with Stefan, though, would take a toll on Elena's confidence.

She knew, on some level, that it was all in her head. They both loved her and were willing to do this for her, but at the same time, she felt sorry that she couldn't just love one of them, that she had to string them both along and never give either brother the satisfaction of being enough for her. No matter what they said about her not being like Katherine, no matter how willing they were to be what she needed, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself for what she was doing to them. They each deserved so much better than this. She hoped that maybe one of them would fall out of love with her and be able to move on with his life. She didn't think that would happen, but it would certainly make things easier for everyone.

She and Stefan were getting better with each other before her little slip-up earlier, and anything she could do to strengthen their relationship so she didn't have to feel so guilty about the near perfection of her and Damon was good. Elena went to sleep, hoping for a fresh start in the morning for everyone.

When she woke up, Elena headed first to the kitchen, getting herself some orange juice and then some blood. Not the best combination of flavors, but it worked. Surprised that neither Damon nor Stefan had come to wish her a good morning yet, she headed back to the living room to see if they were in there together.

No dice.

A bit confused as to where her boyfriends might be, Elena ran back upstairs to grab her phone. She called Stefan, wondering if he might have gone out for an early breakfast in the woods nearby. No answer.

The phone rang and rang and rang on Damon's end, but he didn't answer. Her brow furrowed, Elena tried calling Caroline instead, knowing that at least she was the last person to see Stefan. Maybe he had gotten waylaid by Caroline's speech making... she was good at keeping people occupied for hours if she wanted to.

"Caroline?" she asked, hearing her blonde friend's voice on the line.

"Hey Elena! God, why are you awake? It's a Saturday."

"Sorry, Care, didn't mean to call so early. Just wondering if Stefan is still there."

"Still? What do you mean? I haven't seen Stefan since the other day at the Grill." Caroline's voice sounded dubious, verging on concerned. Elena was quickly becoming worried.

"So you have no idea where he is?"

"Nope. Elena, what's going on?"

"Care, I think I need your help. I can't get ahold of Damon or Stefan. Unless they're both ignoring my calls, which I don't think they are, then something is seriously wrong. I haven't heard from either of them since last night."

"What can I do?"

"Can you get Bonnie to do a locator spell or something? If I ask, I don't think that she'll do it, but she might do it for you."

"Sure, I'll call her right now."

"Thanks, Care, I'm really worried. I don't know what could have happened. I mean, it's not like Klaus is on our backs right now or anything, and as far as I know there's nobody else. I mean, I know that they have other enemies, but this is out of the blue!"

"Don't worry, Elena. You know Stefan can hold his own. Damon, too. They'll be fine, I'm sure. I'm going to call Bonnie now. Where do you wanna do this?"

"I'll come to you, I think. Is your mom home? She might be able to help, too."

"Yeah, she's here. See you in a minute."

"Thanks again, Care. I know that this must all be pretty crazy to you, but--"

"Don't worry about me, Elena. I hope you know what you're doing, but I'm not gonna stand in the way."

Elena smiled, her look of worry disappearing for a moment. "See you soon."

She hung up the phone, racing upstairs to get dressed. Pulling her hair into a high ponytail, Elena headed outside, knowing she was much faster than her car right now. She ran as fast as she could to the Forbes residence, the door unlocked for her already.

"Hi, Sheriff," Elena greeted as she stepped inside. "I don't know if Caroline said anything to you yet, but Damon and Stefan are missing. I'm really worried and I'm not sure what to do. She's getting Bonnie to try and help find them, but I might need your help."

Liz Forbes grimaced slightly then nodded. She was hardly gung-ho about helping vampires, but Damon had long been a colleague and a friend to her, and Stefan had helped them all out more than once. "Of course, Elena. I'll do as much as I can. But I wouldn't worry. I mean, anyone that might have them probably can't go out during the day, anyway, right? So we have the upper hand."

"I won't count on that until I know who has them," Elena said, turning to Caroline who came around the corner, hanging up her cell phone.

"Hey," Elena said, dipping her head a bit in greeting. "What did Bonnie say?"

"She'll do it. She's bringing the stuff over for the spell right now."

"Why is she coming here?" Liz asked.

Elena turned toward the Sheriff again and explained, "She probably needs me. I'm the best way to connect to them, wherever they are."

Liz nodded in agreement, but looked at Caroline as if wondering what the exact nature of Elena's relationship with both brothers was.

"So, Bonnie will be here soon," Caroline repeated. "Did you try both their cells? Where was Damon supposed to be last night?"

"The Grill, he said," Elena answered quickly. "He was in one of his moods, wanted to get away and drink like he used to with Alaric."

"Did you try there? He might be passed out, drunk." Elena looked dubiously at her friend. They both knew that as a vampire, it was _very_ hard to get _that_ drunk. The only thing that would knock a vampire out like that was vervain. At Elena's look, Caroline answered her own question. "Right. Probably not. Still, we could try Matt? Maybe he knows if Damon even got to the Grill, or when he left."

Liz nodded, "It's worth a try."

Nodding her assent to Caroline, her friend called Matt, and when he answered, she turned away to have her conversation in the other room--an unusual gesture, given that Elena could hear her anyway.

Liz turned to Elena and asked, "Is everything alright, Elena? I know that things have been rocky between you and Stefan lately, and I worry about your relationship with Damon. He's a good guy in some respects, but I worry."

Elena blushed. "Everything's fine, sheriff. Damon and Stefan and I have pretty much worked everything out."

"Oh, so you're still with Stefan? And Damon's okay with that? You know he's been pining over you for a long time. It's always been clear that he has feelings for you."

She cleared her throat, buying time to figure out how to answer. One more thing that they _hadn't_ discussed was what to tell people. She wasn't sure how comfortable Liz would be with the prospect of this teenage girl (who had recently been killed and become a vampire) in a menage a trois with two other vampires who also happened to be brothers. She still wasn't sure how comfortable _she_ was with it, even.

"We're all sort of--I'm with..." she broke off, not sure what to say. "I'm dating Stefan...and Damon."

She paused, waiting for the reaction--both from the mother of her best friend and the town's sheriff. Elena looked down, picking something imaginary off her shirt.

Liz touched her arm, smiling gently. "Are you happy, Elena?" she asked.

She looked up at Caroline's mom and answered truly, "More than I've been in a long time, actually."

Nodding, Liz responded, "Then that's all that matters. I'm glad you're happy. As much as I hate to admit it, those boys both love you. We'll find them, Elena. Don't worry."

Elena was overwhelmed. She had been so nervous about how anyone would react to the news, especially given the strong reservations (and sometimes hostility) that her friends responded with. But Liz seemed much more supportive than judgmental, which was surprising given the usual somber and concerned demeanor of Mystic Falls's sheriff.

She smiled and felt like a weight was lifted off her shoulders. Maybe this could work after all.

Before Caroline came back, her mom leaned in closer to Elena and whispered in her ear. Elena drew back quickly, blushing, and Caroline, who heard what she said in the other room, shrieked "Mom!"

Liz smiled, a rare moment in all the craziness where she could relax, and she jokingly responded, "Caroline, don't think just because your father turned out to be gay that I don't still appreciate the things that come along with dating someone. I know what you and Matt did in your bed. And Tyler, for that matter."

"Ugh," Caroline groaned, embarrassed. She shook her head and refocused. "I can't even think about this right now. Matt said he never saw Damon. So that means that whatever happened to him was before he even got to the Grill. What time did he leave last night?" she directed at Elena.

"I didn't really notice. Sometime after 7, for sure. I'm not sure when exactly."

"Bonnie should be here soon to do the spell. Mom, do you think you could try to find out what might have happened? Now that we know they never got where they were going."

Liz nodded and headed out, grabbing her keys and her phone as she went. She opened the door to find Bonnie there, about to knock, a bag of supplies over her shoulder. "Come on in, Bonnie. The girls are waiting." She let Bonnie in, and closed the door behind her.

"Oh, Bonnie, thank God!" Elena exclaimed, moving to meet her friend.

"Don't worry, Elena. I can find them." Bonnie squeezed her hand reassuringly, then moved to set some things up on the coffee table.

Caroline helped her, getting a glass of water from the kitchen, knowing that Bonnie would probably need it for her spell.

"Bonnie, I know you aren't happy about helping, but I really appreciate it."

"I know," Bonnie said, smiling slightly. "I'm just worried about you. But I do get it, that you're caught up in it. I know how that feels."

"Thanks. It's kind of crazy, I know. But I love them."

Bonnie nodded, taking Elena's hands. "Okay, I need to connect with you, because you're tied to both of them. If they're in the same place, I should be able to see them both. If not, your mind will take me to where one of them is first."

Elena closed her eyes and though of Damon and Stefan, trying hard to imagine them at the same time, not favoring one over the other. Bonnie focused for a few seconds, chanting incoherently. She let go of Elena's hands abruptly, pulling back in shock.

"Elena, you're not going to believe this..."

"What?! What did you see? Did you find Stefan and Damon? Who took them?"

Swallowing, Bonnie looked first to Caroline, who was standing a few feet back, then to Elena. "It was you. I mean, obviously it wasn't you, so that means it was--"

Elena broke in, knowing instantly the answer. She should have known. The bitch hadn't shown her face in a while, she was sure to show up again soon. Just like her doppelganger, the vampire couldn't seem to shake her connection to the Salvatores.

"Katherine."

  


	12. Every Breath You Take

Katherine had Stefan and Damon side by side in vervain ropes hung from the ceiling, and had injected them with some just to be sure. Little did she know that her boys (though they weren't her boys anymore) had been building up a tolerance to the stuff recently. They weren't in too much pain, but were still too weak to try an escape.

Noticing that Stefan was starting to come to, Katherine went over to him, smiling in her way. "Stefan," she said, "So glad you've finally decided to join us. Damon and I have been having a little chat while you were napping. Weren't we, Damon?" she asked, caressing the skin under his thin shirt a moment before he yanked away, burning himself more on the vervain.

Katherine laughed and turned away, then looked at the door, hearing someone approach. She smiled as her doppelganger came through the door, kicking it open with a vengeance. Bonnie and Caroline were at her side, the witch holding her hands out and immediately giving Katherine numerous aneurysms. Katherine recovered quickly, and attacked Bonnie, biting her neck and drinking until she passed out. Caroline went to save her friend as Elena headed toward Damon and Stefan, who although they were awake still looked too weak to free themselves.

"Oh, Elena," Katherine trilled, her voice mockingly joyful. "You might want to stop trying to save your boys... it looks like your little friends are in a bit of trouble and can't help you anymore."

Elena turned to look, seeing Bonnie unconscious on the ground bleeding from the bite wound in her neck, and Caroline, laying rigid near the wall, most likely having been thrown into it and then getting her neck snapped. Katherine was much older after all, and must have overpowered her.

Their plan had failed. Elena couldn't stop Katherine all by herself, and there was no one to distract the vampire while she got Damon and Stefan out. Now she was in real trouble.

"By now you must be realizing that I've won," Katherine said. She sat down on a chaise near the Salvatores and gestured to the couch across from her, inviting Elena to sit. "We might as well have a chat while the boys get their strength up."

Knowing that she had no choice left to her but to do as Katherine said, Elena reluctantly sat down near the woman whose history she seemed to be repeating. "You know, Elena, it's the strangest thing. I came back to town to pay a visit to some old friends and ran into Damon on his way to that stupid restaurant you all seem to love. It turned out much the same way as the first time I pretended to be you...though this time, Damon seemed to believe you would kiss him back. What was it he said when I came up to him? Oh, right--'Couldn't wait to finished what we started earlier?' What could that be, Elena?" The bitch grinned at her, clearly enjoying telling her story. It was embarrassing that this woman was coming into their private lives and airing all their dirty laundry.

Elena shifted uncomfortably, glancing over at Damon, whose face was tight in a grimace of his own frustration at not being able to tell the difference between his former lover and his current one. Looking to Stefan, whose eyes were still focusing as he returned to consciousness, she could see his discomfort with the situation as well.

"Do you have a point?" Elena asked bitterly, not sure what Katherine wanted.

The woman grinned cunningly at her and nodded in appreciation. "Ouch. Keep listening, Elena, it's about to get _really_ interesting.

"Well, I couldn't let Damon know that I'm back in town and send him on his way, now could I? And I hardly think that whatever Damon had in mind was appropriate for a public street. Not that I would mind, but I do have to protect your image, I suppose. What would the town think if pure, sweet, good Elena Gilbert were to fuck some guy who isn't her boyfriend where anyone can pass by and see?" At Elena's look, Katherine feigned shock. "Oh, unless he is your boyfriend. Are you and Damon Mystic Falls' newest perfect couple? Should I look for your engagement announcement in the paper? But what of poor, saintly Stefan?"

Elena glared at her.

"Well," she said, coming over to stand behind Elena and play with her hair. "I snapped Damon's neck and shot him up with some vervain so he wouldn't bother anyone for a while or blow my cover. Then I went to find Stefan, who was predictably right outside the blonde's house. Is she ever useful?" she digressed rhetorically. "Anyway, Stefan here didn't seem to mind when I kissed him either. Didn't even seem surprised. I wonder why that could be. Well, I just couldn't believe what this little drama was shaking up to be, so I brought both boys back here to find out the truth."

Elena turned around to look at the older vampire who had finally ceased toying with her hair. "What do you want, Katherine?"

"Did you suffer brain damage when you died, Elena?! I just told you. I want you to tell me the truth...I won't believe it until I hear it from you. I think I know what's going on, and Damon and Stefan have both been incredibly helpful whether they think so or not, but you're the one I want to tell me. Then I'll just... let you all go and be on my way. I do have people to visit, you know."

"Seriously, Katherine? You came all the way back to Mystic Falls, you put yourself in danger of being caught by Klaus, just to hear the truth? That's all you want? Just the truth about me and Stefan and Damon? And then you'll leave." Reinforcing the last bit as a statement, not a question, she addressed their captor.

"That's all I want, Elena," she said, settling back down on the chaise across from Elena, leaning over to lick Stefan's exposed neck.

Elena looked away, as Stefan flinched from her touch. This was getting ridiculous. Though she really had no right to, Elena felt jealous at seeing their once-lover teasing and touching Damon and Stefan in front of her. She knew that neither of them wanted it, but still.

She sighed and looked at Damon, seeing the understanding in his eyes. When Katherine sat back up, running a finger down Damon's chest, Stefan nodded his encouragement to Elena.

"Fine. What do you want to know?"

"Well, Elena, ever since that little episode in Damon's bedroom--you remember the one--I have known things would go this way. You've always felt something for Damon, haven't you? It's okay to admit it."

Katherine paused, clearly wanting a response. Elena cleared her throat and nodded. "That's what I thought," the other vampire continued. "Now, it's been a while since that night, and I think I've missed out on some key developments between you two. Why don't you tell me about them?"

"That was more than a year ago, Katherine. And you were here messing things up in Mystic Falls for some of that time anyway. What do you want, a play by play?"

"Well, I suppose I could settle for a reader's digest version and fill in the rest with my imagination."

Groaning, Elena offered the barest of summaries: "While Stefan was off with Klaus paying for Damon's cure, Damon and I got closer. He helped me find Stefan and get him off human blood again, regain his humanity. Things weren't the same with me and Stefan when he got back, so Damon's and my relationship changed some. We kissed a few times...me trying to figure out what to do, and then I died. End of story."

"Okay, so that's how you ended up a vampire. How did you end up with Damon?"

"Stefan and I had differences of opinion on what kind of vampire I should be, and Damon and I didn't. That's what happened. And I don't see why it's any of your business."

"Girl got some spunk when she died, I see. Well, you always had that, I guess, but now you can back it up a little better. It's my business because I need to see that you're treating my boys well. If not I might just have to take them back."

"Right, like you ever treated either of them well. And they wouldn't go with you anyway."

"We'll see about that. Now, tell me, how did Stefan take the news? I'm assuming you broke it off with the better brother before you slummed it with Damon, but maybe I'm giving you too much credit."

Outraged, Elena sprang up and rushed the older vampire. Though she put up a good fight, Katherine easily overpowered her and had straddled Elena, her hand gripping the younger girl's throat pressing her into the floor forcefully. Elena succumbed to defeat after a few minutes of struggle, finally accepting she couldn't win. She relaxed, and Katherine removed her hand. "That's better," she said, standing up. "Continue."

Brushing herself off, Elena grudgingly added, "Stefan and I broke up because of my feelings for Damon. We both agreed that it was something I needed to deal with."

"And... I know that's not how you left things. Unless you make out with your ex-boyfriends regularly." Elena looked over at Stefan, bewildered, and he shrugged apologetically. She was really going to have to do something about this whole 'looking exactly like Katherine' thing. It was a liability before, but now it annoyed her on principle.

"Stefan and I love each other--that hasn't changed. There, now you know everything, right. So let us all go like you said."

Katherine clucked her tongue mischievously. "That's cheating. Tell me. What was it I said to you that night, the one where Damon almost died and I saved him?"

"Stefan saved him. Stefan was the one who payed for the cure. You were just the messenger." Katherine slapped her briskly across the face, and the boys reacted, lunging at Katherine, pulling violently at their restraints. They were getting stronger. The vervain didn't seem to be affecting them so much anymore. She hoped Katherine wasn't noticing that, or she might give them more.

"Try again, Elena dear."

Sitting down, Elena looked over at her lovers to calm them, worrying for their fates. She decided to play along one final time, hoping that perhaps soon Caroline might wake up, and Damon and Stefan would be strong enough to break free. Three or four vampires, younger though they were than Katherine, might be able to take her.

"You said, 'It's okay to love them both.'"

"And do you?"

Looking straight into Katherine's eyes, with a purity of heart that the older vampire hadn't possessed in a long time, Elena answered, "I do. Of course I do. I always have, and I always will." Feeling confident that for once she didn't need to be ashamed of this choice she had made, of the love she had for both Stefan and Damon, Elena pressed her luck and added, "Something you couldn't possibly understand. You never loved them--you just used them, played them against each other. They both know I love them, and as much as it might hurt them to know it, I won't ever hide that from them." In that moment, Elena decided that there couldn't be any more sneaking around, that she had to be open and honest with Stefan and Damon. Even if it did hurt them, it was better that they both knew she loved them and the other brother than that they be deceived and wonder if any of it was real at all as they--rightly--had with Katherine.

If--when--they got out of this, things would be different. They would have to be. If they didn't, this relationship would rip them apart.

After Elena's blatant statement, Katherine glared at Elena, her eyes filled with fire. Katherine might be pathetic, but she was still dangerous. Elena had nothing more to say. Aside from showing up in public with a Salvatore on each arm, everything was said and done. It was real now, couldn't be taken back. None of them wanted it to be. In that moment, she had made it clear that the relationship was not based on deception and shallow games as Katherine's relationship with them had been. Elena was different, would never treat them like Katherine, and deserved every bit of love Damon and Stefan offered her, and in return, they each knew that her love was all they needed in their lives.

Looking at first Stefan, as he was closer, then Damon, she tried to see if they would be strong enough yet to attempt an escape. If so, she would just need a distraction. Their eyes and slight nods told her the vervain no longer held them in check, that they might be able to get away. The problem was trying to get Bonnie and Caroline, both still unconscious on the floor, away to safety. Bonnie had lost a lot of blood and would need vampire blood and/or medical attention soon. They had to figure this out now.

Just as Elena gave a signal for them to break out of their restraints, she headed towards Bonnie, hoping to give the witch some blood to get her up and aneurysm-inflicting again. Maybe that could save them. Instead, Katherine anticipated their move and went to Caroline instead, a stake appearing in her hand. Reacting to Elena's shocked look, Katherine responded "You never can be too prepared when taking hostages."

Damon and Stefan rushed her, but it would be too late. "No!" Elena cried out, but it didn't matter. Elijah appeared at the door, his presence immediately making Katherine withdraw in surprise, dropping the stake and letting Bonnie fall back to the floor. Elena moved to catch her, and when she had her safely in her arms, asked, "Elijah? What are you doing here?"

Damon and Stefan seemed to have a similar question in mind, but Katherine stood there agog, unable to react. Clearly she hadn't anticipated this. "Well, Elena, it appears that at the moment I am here to help. Yet again. It seems it's all I do." He looked at the body in her arms and the one on the floor, then glanced back up at Katherine. "Elena, take the Salvatores and your friends and go. I'll be in touch. And don't worry about Katerina, I'll deal with her. She won't be bothering you again."

Katherine remained against the wall and Stefan and Damon helped Caroline up, supporting her each on one side, while Elena gave Bonnie blood and helped her walk out. Elena turned back to Elijah and smiled as she tilted her head in a silent "thank you." They headed back to the boarding house to regroup and recover, leaving the question of why Elijah too was back in town for the morning.


	13. No I in Threesome

With Bonnie and Caroline fully recovered from the attack, they helped one another back to Caroline's, where they would stay the night. Elena imagined that Elijah would pay them a visit soon, but for tonight Elena just wanted to take Damon and Stefan back to the boarding house and relax. Worrying about them had made her realize just how important they both were to her--if she lost either one of them she would be completely heartbroken.

The fear she had felt completely overpowered her sensibilities that had previously been embarrassed to love two brothers. Now, all she could think about was how overjoyed she was to have both her lovers back safe. And she'd be damned if she didn't make sure they knew that.

Safely ensconced back in the boarding house, Elena went to the kitchen to grab a few blood bags, then brought them back to the study, where Damon was stoking the fire. Stefan lounged on the couch, still clearly weak, so Elena sat down near him and offered her neck. He looked at her strangely, but then Damon nodded to him from in front of the fire, encouraging him. "It'll help. It's not animal blood, but it's not really human blood either. You need something, and you're not exactly ready to go chase down a deer right now."

She kissed him, then turned her head so his mouth was on her neck. After a few moments, she finally felt the scrape of his fangs against her skin, then the sharp pain of his bite. It had been quite a while since she felt this particular sensation, and with Stefan before it had always been in a moment of anger or because he didn't have humanity. Damon was the only person she had shared blood with intimately and on purpose.

Stefan pulled her closer as he drew her blood into his body. She could feel the rush of the endorphins as they hit her brain, making her tingle all over. Not just for her own pleasure, she hoped that it was helping Stefan. Looking over to Damon, the elder brother had downed one blood bag and was keeping his eyes firmly fixed on Elena as his brother drank from her, their eyes meeting in a trance.

Finally, Stefan slowed, letting his grip on her loosen, and then sank back into the couch, his fangs retracting and his eyes returning to normal.

She turned to look at him, holding her hand out in the other direction for Damon, who handed her a blood bag. "Better?" she asked Stefan, kissing his cheek, her blood still dripping out of his mouth a bit.

He nodded, and looked over at his brother again as Elena drank about half of the blood bag in her hand. She set it down on the end table, shrugging back to the floor and pulling the two brothers down with her. Elena whispered to them, "I can't lose you. Either of you."

They both looked at her, a tear forming in one of her eyes. As torturous as that experience had been for the two of them, it must have been even harder on Elena. Worrying about their whereabouts, searching for them, finding them in Katherine's clutches, having to jump through her cruel, pathetic hoops... she had gone through so much to get them back.

Damon leaned in hesitantly to kiss her, unsure of what was happening but unwilling to deny Elena this connection she so desperately needed. She returned the kiss with fervor, needing this intimacy after she thought she might have lost him. They deepened the kiss, before realizing that Stefan was sitting on the rug, not involved. Pulling away, Damon turned Elena towards his brother, stroking her ribcage as she leaned in to kiss Stefan as well.

In their relationship, they were still struggling to find a new normal. They hadn't even slept together yet since Elena had become a vampire, as there had always been something preventing them, and then after their breakup they had been very hesitant in reconnecting on that level. She knew it would happen sooner or later, but she didn't expect that Damon would be in the room with them when it did. But Elena knew that after this, there would either be even more awkwardness or it would solve that problem completely. She wanted them to know how much she loved them both.

Stefan pulled away and looked at Damon, a question in his eyes. Neither of them seemed very surprised at this new development--perhaps she wasn't the first to have this sort of encounter with both brothers at once. Damon nodded and moved to pull her top off over her head, Stefan caressing her back and kissing down her spine after he did so.

"Is this okay?" he asked, unclasping her bra. Feeling more than seeing her nod, he continued to remove the undergarment. Stefan was situated behind her and leaned her back to rest against his chest as he reached his hands around her, stroking her skin and kneading her breasts softly as he kissed her neck. Meanwhile, Damon kissed her, their tongues intertwining gently as he unbuttoned and unzipped her jeans. He and Stefan both helped her lift her hips so Damon could remove her underwear along with her pants.

She felt naked in comparison to both brothers, who were each still wearing their pants and torn shirts. Eyeing Damon pointedly, Elena made it clear even in her aroused haze that she wasn't going to be the only naked one. He smirked, though it didn't reach his eyes, and pulled down his slacks, leaving his boxer briefs on. If it got to that point, then he would take them off. If Stefan did too.

He knelt down again, kissing each of Elena's hips then lowering his face between her legs. While he worked his tongue on her most sensitive parts, feeling her grind her hips, Stefan ground himself against her, their hips moving against one another in a desperate rhythm. She could feel his hardness against her lower back, knew how much he wanted her.

"I love you," Stefan whispered into her ear, knowing that his brother could hear him. Elena ran her fingers through Damon's silky hair as he brought her closer to orgasm, the sound of him going down on her making her even hotter. Elena leaned her head back against Stefan, reaching her free hand up around his head to hold on to him as he laved the skin of her neck and collarbone. She clenched her eyes shut, her release approaching.

Damon pulled back slightly, replacing his mouth with his fingers as he looked up at Stefan. The eye contact told him everything he needed to know, and he hoped that the same was true for Stefan. This would bring them closer together. They didn't need to fight over Elena anymore--they needed to love her together, and know that she loved them both in return.

The side of his mouth turned up in a half smile as he nodded slightly down at Damon. Returning his mouth to Elena's core, Damon wanted to bring her to her climax. As he licked her clit, he fingered her slowly, feeling her contract around him, every muscle in her body tensing. When Stefan felt her tense in his arms, he bit her neck, this time not to restore himself but to bring them both pleasure. Elena's face contorted in ecstasy from the dual pleasure of Damon's mouth on her clit and Stefan drinking her blood.

While her body relaxed from the intense orgasm she had just experienced, Stefan licked the blood off her neck, the wound already closing. She tried to speak, her words failing her. Damon moved himself up to kiss Elena, her half-lidded eyes smiling in appreciation.

Damon stepped away to stoke the fire again, the embers burning down. He poured himself a glass of bourbon as he saw Elena turn to face Stefan. She kissed him, pulling away enough to unbutton the jeans that were somewhat dampened now from his own orgasm.

She clearly hadn't been paying enough attention, caught up in her own pleasure, because she hadn't even realized he had come. Then again, he had drunk her blood and she had been grinding against him, so it made sense. She had known on some level that Damon had derived pleasure from that first time she had drunk his blood, and if it was anything like what she felt, it would certainly be enough to orgasm from.

Stefan got up into a kneeling position once his pants and boxers were off. He kissed Elena, wrapping his hands around her, pulling her up onto his lap. She responded eagerly, becoming aroused again after her orgasm. She could feel him hardening between her legs, excited at the prospect of joining together again. She had missed connecting with him this way. Sex with Stefan had always been great, and when they had been separate, either physically or emotionally, she felt the loss of him in her life and bed.

Suddenly remembering where she was, Elena looked over at Damon who was sitting in an armchair with a crystal tumbler in his hand, his own cock hard as well. "Come back," she said to him, her arm reaching out to him weakly.

He shook his head, smirking, as he took a draw from the bourbon. Reaching down, he lazily worked his own erection with his free hand as he watched Elena. She blushed and nodded, turning her face back to Stefan.

He kissed her, using both hands to cup her rear and lift her up slightly. She reached down to guide him inside her, sighing when she felt the familiar sensations. It had been so long. They were both still sensitive from their previous climaxes, and the newness of the experience made them both realize this wouldn't take very long.

"You sure you don't want to join?" Elena asked, knowing that Damon must feel left out. "We could..." not sure if she even wanted to do what she was suggesting as she looked down behind her, Elena trailed off.

Damon laughed. "You two need this; go ahead. I'll still be here. Besides, I don't think that we're quite ready for that yet. Next time, though."

Elena closed her eyes, thinking about that suggestion.

With the go-ahead, Stefan began to move inside her, supporting them both. She was soaking wet from Damon's earlier ministrations, making smacking sounds every time he thrust into her. The slickness made the friction between them even more pleasurable. Her breasts pressed against his chest, her nipples hard and sensitive, sending shocks through her body every time they brushed against her skin.

Damon was still jerking himself off, the glass of bourbon long-empty. He leaned his head back into the head rest as he watched Elena move.

Elena was getting closer to another orgasm, and sensing that Stefan was too, she beckoned Damon over, a glazed look in his eyes. He conceded, moving towards the couple. Using his right hand to jerk himself off, he leaned in to kiss Elena, and she grabbed his free arm as he pulled away. She moved herself on Stefan more desperately, needing to reach her climax. Suddenly, he hit exactly the right spot and her orgasm hit her without warning. Elena bit into Damon's outstretched wrist, causing a chain reaction. As she clenched around Stefan, it was enough for him and he came as well, and the blood sharing brought Damon to release too, coming all over the carpet.

Stefan collapsed backwards, relaxing against the couch. Elena leaned against him, pulling Damon close. He reached up and grabbed a throw from the couch and a couple of pillows, tossing them into the space in front of the fire. Damon moved over to lay in front of the fire, and Elena and Stefan tiredly joined him, relaxing in a heap under the knit blanket. Elena cuddled up to Stefan, facing the other brother.

"You're going to have to clean that up, you know," she said jokingly to Damon.

"What did I tell you? I've got tricks up my sleeve for that sort of thing." He smirked, then looked over Elena's head to his brother who was nuzzled in the crook of Elena's neck.

Cuddled up together, in this moment at least things seemed to be less awkward than before. Being with Damon and Stefan together might have changed the dynamic for the better. Keeping the moment light, Elena announced with a groan, "I have rug burn."

Stefan chuckled and Damon leaned in to kiss her nose. "Poor baby," he said.

Stefan pulled her closer to hug her before letting her move away slightly. She readjusted so she was lying on her back, then entwined her limbs with either brother, making sure she was connected to them both in some way. Closing her eyes, she drifted off to sleep with Damon and Stefan at her sides, the roaring fire calming to warm them gently with its burning embers. What tomorrow might bring, none of them could be sure, but at least for the night, they were safe and happy in each other's arms.


	14. Morning After

When Elena woke up, she was cradled between Damon and Stefan, who clearly had no qualms about touching one another. She imagined they grew up sleeping in the same bed, and only slept alone when they got older. Whatever the reason, they didn't seem to mind cuddling up with Elena in sleep. The fire was long out, the room slightly chilled with a draft. The throw that covered them wasn't warming her much anymore, and Elena had to go to the bathroom anyway, so she decided to extricate herself from the two men. Stefan held her as she tried to pull away, but eventually let go, sleep still dulling his senses.

Elena tiptoed to Damon's room, which was closer. She went to the bathroom, then rinsed her face in one of his elegant sinks. After, Elena opted for a shower anyway to clean herself off after last night. She turned the water on and reached for a towel, realizing that she had been walking around the house completely naked. On second thought, she went to Damon's dresser and pulled out the bottom drawer, hoping that on the off chance he might have some of her things in here. Sure enough, there was a pair of jeans, a few pairs of her more racy underwear, and a pink camisole. Pulling out one of his sweaters from a higher drawer, Elena removed the clothing and set it on the bed, ready for her to wear after her shower. 

She stepped into the shower, ready for the hot water to cleanse her skin, relishing the dull throbbing of the water as in pounded into her neck and back. The reality of last night was starting to set in, and the water helped her distract herself from what she had done. There really was no turning back now. She had slept with Stefan and Damon at the same time... well, nearly the same time. The three of them, together, as intimate as anything. 

Elena took some of Damon's shampoo from a ledge, working it into her long hair, lathering it up. She leaned her face into the stream of water, eyes closed, as it rinsed her hair clean. As she turned around again to grab the bottle of conditioner, Elena was startled by an equally naked Damon who had stepped into the shower area. 

She jumped and squeaked, though the sound of the rush of water likely dulled it significantly. "Found your way back to my bedroom, I see," Damon noted while gently turning Elena around, taking the bottle of the ledge himself and working some of the conditioner into her hair as he massaged her scalp. Once the conditioner was spread out in her hair enough, he moved his hands down her shoulders and arms, caressing her wet skin with his the palms of his hands. He eventually moved them down to her waist, pulling her back against him and holding her close, leaning down to kiss her shoulder.

"Morning," Elena said.

"More like afternoon. We slept a long time, understandably." He ran his fingers across her belly, tangling them in her wet curls before moving back up to grip her hips loosely. 

She nodded into his embrace, then turned back around to face him. "That was intense," she said, her hands resting against his chest. 

He nodded. "Too intense?"

Elena blushed, turning her head aside so she didn't have to look him in the eyes. Elena and Damon had always had this problem. She had always been afraid of her feelings about him, never able to admit them to herself or to the elder Salvatore. He leaned forward, resting his forehead against her own, bringing them closer and making her unable to avoid him. 

She didn't answer, so he kissed her forehead and pulled back, looking her in the eyes. "Elena?" he asked, reminding her that he still wanted an answer

"No, not too intense. Just... I don't know. I don't regret what we did. Part of me still feels like I should, but I think I've finally gotten past that. Nearly losing you and Stefan made me realize how important you both are to me. Not that I didn't already know that, but it made me want to make it clear to myself and to you guys."

"Oh, I think it's clear," he said, and Elena blushed again. Damon chuckled, his jaded personality thrilled at such innocence in his lover. "Come on, Elena, it's not that big of a deal. If you don't want to do that again, we don't have to. We can just keep on as we were, with you and me doing our thing, and you and Stefan doing the same. Just... separate."

"No, that's not... I don't know what I want. I mean, I definitely..." she paused and looked away from Damon as she continued, knowing he would smirk at her confession-- "enjoyed last night. And I think that it could be even better with... what I suggested... but I do really like just being with you and just being with Stefan too. I mean, it's nice to just have the two of us, with no one watching, you know?"

He nodded, and she pulled away. Grabbing the soap, she handed it to Damon, asking him to help wash her. He smiled and kissed her, lathering up his hands and running them over her body, the soapy suds gliding over her tan skin. They were silent, both thinking of how much they enjoyed the intimacy of just the two of them, alone together in Damon's shower. In this moment he knew she loved Stefan just as much, but he could savor the times they were alone.

Her back to him, Elena could feel Damon growing hard against her, the sight and feel of her body exciting him. As exhausted as Elena was from the previous night, her love for Damon and her attraction to him had not lessened. She turned around, pulling him in for a kiss as he picked her up, his hands grasping the back of her thighs as he slammed her against the wall, the stone cool against her warm skin. She gasped as she hit the wall, not in pain, but surprised at the force of his motions. If Stefan wasn't already awake, he certainly would be now.

His toes gripping the wet floor of the shower for traction, Damon entered Elena, her own juices lubricating his movement. He pulled her legs up, giving her the momentum to wrap them around his lower back, her whole body desperate for his touch

Their mouths met, their tongues fiercely mingling, the tension inside both of them building. Pulling out slightly, Damon thrust forward, Elena gasping for breath at the sudden pleasure. With her arms around the back of his neck, supported in part by his shoulders, she had some leverage. Bracing herself against the wall, Elena met his thrusts with her own body, their hips thrusting in tandem.

Feeling her orgasm revving inside of her, Elena could tell how sensitive she was from last night. After another minute, she let go, her entire body tingling and flexing, as Damon continued to thrust into her again and again. She was coming down from her orgasm as Damon approached his own, so he tilted them both slightly, changing his angle of entry and giving him more access to the place where their bodies were joined. As he felt himself coming, he reached down with one hand and stimulated her overworked clit, rocketing her into another orgasm as hit own hit him powerfully. Elena gasped, their faces separating as she leaned back into the tiled wall, her face contorted in pleasure. Damon's own body jerked frantically, expelling his dead seed into her body, then slowly calming as he leaned forward against his lover, his head resting in the crook of her neck. Over-sensitized and exhausted from holding herself up and meeting Damon's movements, Elena dropped her legs to the ground slowly, taking care to avoid any further stimulation. Damon sighed, contented, and withdrew from her body, pressing himself against her fully as he held her in his arms. 

"Wow," Elena said, "I'm gonna be out of commission for a while after that." She winced as she moved her legs back together, enjoying the dull throbbing that accompanied sex with Damon but not loving how over-sensitive she was from so much stimulation. 

Damon kissed her cheek in response, smiling against her skin. "Oh come on," he teased, " You're a vampire, Elena. That's what blood is for." 

Somewhat jokingly, she bit him at the juncture of his neck and shoulder, taking a short draw of blood before pulling away. The water from the shower rinsed the blood off of both of them, washing it down their bodies and diluting it to almost nothing as it hit the drain. 

"That what you had in mind?" Elena asked, tongue in cheek. Damon's blood would do in a pinch, and it certainly made her feel good, but he was right--to really heal she would probably just need a blood bag. 

He smiled and leaned in to kiss her again, but she laughed and pulled away. "I was trying to shower before all this. Besides, Stefan is probably up now."

"Oh, he definitely is. When I left he got up to make us something to eat.

"You jerk!" Elena yelped, smacking him. "You knew he was waiting on us and you still came in here with me." She quickly rinsed the remaining conditioner out of her hair, while Damon grabbed a washcloth and knelt down to clean her most intimate parts, taking care to be gentle. She spread her legs to give him access, looking down at his soaked head and stroking his hair with her fingers tenderly, appreciating the concern he seemed to show for her even through his humor. 

Once her hair was rinsed and Damon had finished gingerly cleaning her up, she pulled him up and kissed him swiftly, grabbing the towel she had left just outside the shower, drying herself off. Damon followed her, appreciating the view as he walked behind her into his bedroom. She finished drying her body and went to squeegee her hair but Damon grabbed the towel out of her hands with a smirk, smacking her with it as he stole it away. 

She laughed and gave up, walking to the bed where she had left her clothes. Pulling on the underwear she had found, she joked with Damon, "Should I be surprised that you have a stash of my clothing in your dresser?"

"What? It's not like I have a shrine to you or anything. You've left some clothes here over the years, and I simply... held them until you came to collect. Plus, a couple of those films are just from a few days ago. You can hardly fault me for wanting a souvenir."

She smiled as she pulled on her jeans, buttoning them in the front and zipping them closed, then reached for the camisole on the bed. Normally she would wear a shirt or sweater over it, but the camisole would do. Not that Stefan and Damon hadn't seen her in less...

Done getting ready, she turned to see Damon finishing drying himself off and reaching into a drawer. She said, "I'm gonna go see how Stefan is doing with that breakfast. Join us?" she asked, moving towards him to kiss him.

"Wouldn't miss it. The awkward morning-after breakfast? Come on, that's classic." He smirked as he pulled on some underwear, saying, "You go ahead. I'll be there in a minute."

She smiled and turned to go, and he smacked her gently on the behind, making her skip. She turned back to glare at him before shaking her head and moving toward the kitchen.

Sure enough, Stefan was cooking breakfast just like Damon said he would be. He stood over the stove, a skillet on the burner with eggs cooking inside it. As she entered the room, he looked up and smiled, turning towards her. She moved to greet him, reaching her arms around his midsection as he did the same for her shoulders, holding her in a close embrace. She looked up and kissed him, moving her arms to around his neck, pulling herself up to meet him.

His hands caressed her back and sides, feeling her body through the thin layer of clothing. Their kiss deepened, reasserting the intimacy they had enjoyed last night with one another. Finally, after a few long moments, Stefan pulled away, saying only,

"The eggs are going to burn." He grabbed the utensil he had been using and pushed the eggs around in the skillet.

"Morning Stefan," Damon greeted as he entered the room. "Elena."

Stefan gave a nod in his direction and Elena smiled. "Look what I found just inside our front door," Damon continued, holding an envelope out. It wasn't formal like the invitation to Esther's ball had been, but it did have in Elijah's precise, elegant script their three names on the envelope, and inside a letter addressed to them all. 

"What is it?" Stefan asked, taking the eggs off the burner and turning it off. He gestured to the toaster and Elena went to toast some bagels for them, still listening to what Damon was saying.

Damon skimmed the letter quickly, then set it down on the granite countertop. It looks like our friend Elijah would like to arbitrate for our little group. The three of us, Katherine, Klaus, Rebekah, Kol, Matt, Tyler, Caroline, and Bonnie. He's invited everyone. Apparently he's gotten sick of all the fighting and wants to find a way for us to all exist peacefully together in Mystic Falls. Hah. I bet it's ten minutes before Klaus stabs him with one of those daggers, takes Katherine captive, and alienates the rest of us even more by killing or seriously maiming someone in the group."

Elena wanted to be more optimistic, but Stefan agreed with Damon. "It's going to be a bloodbath. Then again, if anyone can help, it would be Elijah."

She nodded and added, "Elijah has been a trustworthy friend, mostly. I think we should try."

Stefan handed out plates and they all sat down on stools around the countertop to eat. Elena was silent, thinking about all the times Elijah had come through for her, and knowing that he was their best chance to make peace with the Originals before more blood was spilled. No more people could die, especially not incidental to protecting her. Now that she was a vampire, Klaus couldn't have her blood, but that didn't mean Klaus and his family would be leaving any time soon.

Damon chimed in after a minute, the eggs and bacon nearly cleared from his plate, part of a bagel still un-eaten. "We should do it. We'll only make ourselves look bad by not showing up and trying to fix all this crap, so we might as well go. I don't think Elijah would let anything bad happen to Elena, and we'll both be there to protect her anyway."

Elena glared at Damon from her place across the counter. "I hate that you two still talk like I need to be protected. I'm a vampire now, remember."

Stefan started to protest, but Elena cut him off. "No, seriously. I know that I'm new to this, and I'm younger that all the other vampires there, and my stupid doppelganger thing makes me more valuable, but I don't like the way you two get together and make plans to protect me all the time. I love you both, and I appreciate the way you both try to keep me around, but at some point, you have to let me be my own person. And that's not going to happen with you guys acting like my bodyguards anytime something even remotely dangerous happens. I can take care of myself, and even if I couldn't, you two babying me isn't going to help me learn. So quit it with the 'protecting Elena' stuff, okay?"

Stefan, always the first of the two to let Elena make her own decisions, nodded unhappily. Damon, on the other hand, would always be difficult about this. Elena looked pointedly at him, silently pleading him to be okay with this. She was strong and independent, and as much as she loved Damon, she didn't want a bodyguard, she wanted a partner. Well, two partners. 

He shook his head and sighed, then finally looked up at her. "I can't promise anything, but I'll try.

It was the best she would get from him on that front, maybe ever, so she smiled slightly in acceptance. He continued, however, saying, "But are you sure you won't want to be protected? After all, I guess that means this is our big debut as... well, as the three of us.

Elena balked, and Stefan and Damon both laughed, knowing that whatever happened, this group event wouldn't be boring.


	15. Better Late Than Never

The arbitration had been set for the following afternoon, so Elena, Damon, and Stefan spent the rest of the afternoon to themselves, preparing. Elena came in to Stefan's room, realizing for the first time in a few days that they hadn't been to school in nearly a week.

"Stefan?" she asked, through the doorway. He turned to look at her, his journal open on the desk in front of him, a pen in his hand. "I know you've been to high school dozens of times, but I would actually like to graduate. When would be a good time for actual learning to take place?"

He grimaced, and responded, "You're right. With everything that's happened, I think we all just sort of... forgot. I mean first there was..." Elena broke in again.

"No, I know. It does seem sort of silly, going to high school, after everything. I mean, I have a lifetime to go to high school now. There's no need to keep going like I was."

"That's not what I'm trying to say. You should go to high school, Elena. You need to graduate with Bonnie and Caroline, with Matt and Tyler. You need to set an example for Jeremy. I'm sorry I let everything fall away and seem like it wasn't as important. And this"--he gestured between them--"this will be okay even if we don't spend every moment together."

She nodded, then walked over to his bed, pulling herself onto it and scooting back to lay among the pillows. She smiled and patted the area next to her, beckoning him to come join her. He smiled and walked confidently over to her, climbing up on his bed and laying down to hold her in his arms. "So," he started, changing the subject decisively. "How are you after last night?" He nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck, knowing she was still too shy to look him in the eye when discussing such things.

Elena bit her lip and swallowed hard. "I feel good. I'm glad that you and I are...intimate... again. I missed it."

Her admission reinforced for him that this was the right thing to be doing. He wouldn't have been okay with it if after all this, Elena couldn't handle the pressure and wanted to just be with Damon. He was the one, after all, that had hung around after Elena and Damon had started things up together, and so he felt like if anyone had something to lose here, it would be him. He was happy that his brother got the girl, but happier still that he did too.

Stefan pulled back to look at her. "Glad to hear it. I missed it too. And I'm sure that you and I can have more of that with or without Damon involved." Elena balked at that, then laughed.

Nodding, she leaned in to kiss her first love. "I wouldn't have it any other way," she finished as their lips touched. Rolling them over so she was underneath him, Elena pulled his arms around her so he was holding her even tighter. She cherished the feeling of his body weighing her down, every place their bodies touched stoking the fire in her.

"I'm sorry about the other day," he said, grinding himself against her with moderate pressure. "It was a cheap move, to get you all excited and then just walk away."

"You're forgiven," Elena offered, making him stop talking by pulling his face down to her neck, where he licked and sucked, driving her arousal even higher. She laughed as his hands wandered, down to her hips and ass then up her torso again to her breasts, where they could both feel her nipples hardening under her bra.

"Come on," she gestured, pushing him off a bit so she could remove his henley. With his shirt off, she could see the muscles of his chest and arms working as he lifted her up to similarly remove her shirt. If came off easily, with Elena helping. He leaned down again and moved himself along her body, kissing her as he went. Using his hands around her back, he unhooked her bra and gently pulled it off her, mouthing and handling her breasts before moving further down her body. His hands moved all over her, her breath hitching as they moved over her bare stomach. No matter how many times they made love, Stefan could still make her feel like he was touching her for the first time.

As he unbuttoned her jeans and tugged them down, Elena gripped Stefan's shoulders and hitched herself up off the bed to help him remove her clothing, her abdominal muscles tensing. Stefan leaned back to pull the pants completely off, lowering himself again to caress the skin he had exposed. She kept her underwear, a pale blue pair of bikinis, with a tiny grey bow at each ruched side.  Stefan leaned down to his her ankle, her leg bent in the air leaving her feeling rather exposed. But she could trust Stefan. At least here, when it was just the two of them, she could trust him.

He worked his way up her leg to her underwear, stopping briefly to lick her inner thigh. He knew how much of an effect he had on her, and she was squirming under his touch within seconds, waiting for him to give her what she wanted.

"Can I?" he asked, ready to rip her underwear off. She smiled and shook her head.

"Between you and Damon, my entire underwear collection will be destroyed." Deciding finally that he could have his little macho moment, she nodded, but cautioned: "You better buy me some new ones, though."

Stefan smiled and leaned down again, putting his mouth on her through the cotton. Even with the barrier, he could tell how wet she was for him, and she could feel his tongue moving just the same. Feeling her growing more desperate under his ministrations, Stefan finally ripped the underwear off in a quick movement, Elena feeling a flash of fabric against her and then just air, and Stefan's warm breath on the most sensitive part of her.

Rather than do what he expected, what she wanted, Stefan moved back up her body, kissing her on the mouth and cradling her in his arms as he entered her slowly. She tensed and then sighed, pleased at the feeling of fullness he gave her. "Oh, Stefan," she breathed out. He smiled and kissed her more fully, his tongue entering her mouth and mirroring his other movements. Their bodies moved together, striving for completion at any moment but also just enjoying the connection. They hadn't felt this close--with just the two of them--in a long time. Too long.

Stefan was thinking about that, and Elena' mind had clearly wandered too. Her eyes were somewhat distant and her body was feeling the motions of them both but didn't seem fully invested. Noticing and taking a guess at what was going on, he stilled for a moment. "Elena," he said gently, sweeping some sweaty hair out of her face, "It's just you and me here right now. If Damon wanted to join, he'd already be here, okay? It's all right to let yourself go. Be here, with me, in this moment, and don't worry about anything else."

She looked penitent, sorry that she had let her emotions so clearly rule her. She un-furrowed her brow, kissed Stefan, and smiled. "You're right, I know you're right." To further her point, she abruptly moved herself against him, meeting firmly the thrust he had paused to talk to her. It brought them both pleasure, and Elena let herself be happy. When Stefan dropped his head and clenched his eyes shut, she pulled herself against him closer, and reached down to give herself just that little extra bit to push her over the edge.

Elena also leaned to the side a bit and with her free hand moved to grip him at the base of his neck, pushing his head down to her collarbone. It was a move that made perfectly clear what she wanted. He tried to pull back, but Elena kept her grip on him firm, reinforcing her desire. He let his face change, displaying the desire he had for her blood. He felt them both growing close to orgasm, and so Stefan gave up fighting what she so clearly wanted to happen and bit down on her neck, the blood rushing into his mouth.

They both came from the sensation, and Elena gasped both with pleasure from the feeling but also satisfaction that she and Stefan had reached this point. It was never a question of her relationship with Damon--they had shared blood before they had ever slept together, and it had clearly not been a problem. All that time ago when Elena had given Stefan her blood as a human, it had been in such small amounts, very scientific, and never related to sex. Truthfully, she was sure that if she hadn't instigated this, Stefan might never have brought it into their sex life. To save him, sure, but for pleasure, no.

Elena was overjoyed, and Stefan didn't seem too unhappy either. Besides, he needed to get off of drinking solely animal blood, and she had been right before. Her blood was like drinking diluted human blood, so it was a good in-between stage for Stefan. And it didn't hurt that Elena had become very fond of blood-sharing with Damon, so it made sense that she would also do so with Stefan. She loved them both, and she wanted this very special connection with both of them as well.

He pulled away finally, no longer drinking from her but just lapping at the blood that hadn't clotted yet. The wound wouldn't bother her for much longer, especially not if she drank some blood herself soon. When he couldn't avoid it any longer, Stefan looked her in the eyes. "That was..." She smiled at him before he could finish, kissing him and licking the remnants of her own blood off his mouth.

Pulling out and rolling them onto their side, Stefan stroked her hair and smiled weakly. She could sense that he was hesitant about what he had just done. Stefan was terrible at being a vampire. For all that Elena hadn't wanted to be one, she was making the best of it just like Caroline. But Stefan--he had been around for centuries and was still fighting who and what he was. Perhaps this was a first step to getting him to accept that being a vampire didn't mean he was a terrible person.

Sure, he had done terrible things, but so had Damon, and so had she. Hell, pretty much everyone in her life had done something bad. But that didn't make her love them any less. If she could love Stefan and Damon despite all the crap they had all been through, than she certainly wasn't going to harbor any illusions now about who they were or what they were capable of.

"Stefan," she began, kissing him briefly to keep his attention. "It's time to stop hating who you are. I'm not trying to make you someone you aren't," she continued, pre-empting his protestation about not wanting to be Damon. "You can be a vampire and still be yourself. But if we're all going to be in this together, we all have to be ourselves, unapologetically. Now, I love you and I love Damon, and it's not despite you being vampires, it's partially because of that. Do you love me any less now that I'm a vampire?" she asked, hoping he didn't. Sure, it was different. But not less.

He shook his head, smiling sadly. He didn't want her life to end and blamed himself for not saving her, but he still loved her more than he had loved anyone else in his entire life.

"Good. And I don't mind being a vampire. I thought I would, but it's not so bad. In fact, there's actually a lot of good things about it." She pulled him close again, making sure he felt her body against his, still reeling from the pleasure they had just shared. "And you know how important it is that you're not put into any danger. You don't ever want me to be in danger, right?" At his nod, she continued, "Well, I don't ever want you to be in more danger than you have to. Damon and I can't keep saving your ass all the time," she joked, happy to not be the weakest person in the room anymore. Sure, everyone was still watching out for her, but even with over a century and a half on Elena, Stefan was still weaker than he should be against vampires on human blood.

"So don't be ashamed about the blood. I wanted this. I loved it. It made me feel amazing, just like I know it made you feel amazing. Just the two of us here, remember? I felt you inside me, I know how much you liked it. Even if you can't admit that yet, can't let yourself be okay. It's taken me a long time to be okay with things, too, so I get it. But just know that no one is going to think you're an awful person for drinking human blood. We do what we have to, and with Klaus still around it's better that we all be at the top of our game."

Realizing she had been talking a lot without Stefan speak, she blushed and went silent. She had made a lot of assumptions here, most of them right. He sighed, and responded, "I know that you're right. That's why we tried this before, remember? And with the vervain. Objectively, I know it's better to have a tolerance than to abstain and risk flying off the rails at any moment. It's what made me weak enough to let Klaus take control of me, bring out the Ripper again, shut off my humanity. I don't ever want that to happen again. I need to be in control of myself. And I... did... like sharing blood with you. Both times. It's just strange; when you were human your blood sang to me, and it was hard enough keeping myself in check just when we were around each other, let alone when we were in bed. So it's hard to go from that mentality to this one. It's not that I've never wanted to do that, it's just that I never let myself believe that you would want to, or that it would ever be acceptable."

"There's a lot that's happened lately that I didn't ever think I would be okay with, so I know what you mean." She paused. "I think sometimes about what it would have been like to date any other vampire back when I was human. Like Damon. I wonder if I would have been a different person with a different vampire. I mean, I had thought about it before too, but I knew it was never an option so I put it out of my mind. But Damon takes what he wants and doesn't really have any qualms about that sort of thing, so I wonder if I would have, too. Then again, maybe I also wouldn't have stayed human for as long as I did with someone else. I don't know."

They both looked away briefly, sure that Damon was hearing their discussion. Somehow that was worse than him hearing the two of them having sex. This was different.

Breaking off both of their trains of thought, Stefan ended their conversation. "Damon wouldn't have ever done that without your permission--unless your life was in danger," he added, laughing slightly. They both remembered that disaster. "Still, I know you're right. And I will try to work on it. Asking for what I want, trying not to be so uptight about being a vampire. And I need to start with the human blood again, I know. This is a good stepping stone, I think." He kissed her firmly and pulled himself off the bed, reaching for his discarded pants and dragging them on. "We should go keep Damon company. Who knows what tomorrow will bring, right?"

She nodded in agreement, reaching for her own clothes. They both headed back towards the living room where they expected to find Damon, finishing getting dressed as they walked. It's not like they hadn't all been naked together the other night, and individually both intimate since then. By the time they reached the living room, they were both decent and much cheerier from their activities and even their pillow talk.

However, Damon wasn't alone when they got there. He was chatting with a young black haired guy, probably a little older than Damon in human years. He surprisingly had a crustal tumbler with about a finger of bourbon in it in his hands, and he was chatting quietly with the vampire. Elena went over to Damon to greet him, leaning down to where he was seated on the couch to kiss him on the mouth, fingers running through his hair briefly as she did so.

Pulling away, she smiled at the visitor. "Who's this?" she asked, still touching Damon but looking back at Stefan who had a puzzled look on his face.

"This is Miles, a friend of a friend. I asked that he join us for a while. We have a big day tomorrow, so it's important we're all at our best." Elena sunk down into the couch next to Damon, whispering in his ear. Stefan could hear her, but hopefully this Miles person couldn't.

"What's going on?" she said again, still confused. He leaned in to kiss her next to her ear, then pulled back and spoke to the whole room.

"Miles here has displayed a certain affection for vampires," he said, addressing the elephant in the room right away. "He has dated a couple of my friends over the past few years," at which Elena and Stefan both looked at him, as if to express doubt at Damon having and maintaing friends, but he continued, "and was in the area, so I asked him to stop by. Miles enjoys being fed on, so I thought he might be just what we all need."

Miles smiled sheepishly, "Thanks, Damon, way to be sensitive about the issue." Damon shrugged and drank the rest of his bourbon." Elena still didn't look convinced, so he addressed her in particular. "I've been with Aaron for about a year now, and before that I was seeing Evan. Ask Damon how he knows them. I'm never sure about how that works. Whatever. The point is, Damon said that Stefan here isn't big on human blood, and you're pretty pretty picky about who you feed off, yourself. So I thought I might offer my help."

Still dubious, Elena asked, "What's in it for you?"

Damon laughed slightly, and Elena turned sharply to glare at him. "Come on, Elena, what do you think is in it for him? You know what it feels like to be fed off of." She blushed and looked at Stefan. He had his hand on the side of his face and looked slightly exasperated.

Well at least they knew for sure that Damon had heard them upstairs. How he got Miles here so fast neither of them could be sure, but that didn't matter. He was here, willing, and didn't need to be compelled. That was as good a deal as any vampire could get. 

Damon watched as Miles finished his glass of bourbon and stood up, taking off his shirt, not wanting to rip it or get blood all over it. The vampire looked over at his lover and his brother expectantly. Elena still looked hesitant, but the desire on Miles's face changed her mind, and she walked up to him, checking his face for his assent, and finding it, leaned in to bite him carefully on the side of his neck. He gasped in pleasure, and she felt the bloodlust envelop her as his warm blood rushed down her throat. She felt Damon join her on Miles's other side, reaching around to touch her as he fed from the human.

After she had enough, Elena looked back to Stefan, who was fighting his urge to feed. She could see it all over his face--he wanted to desperately, but didn't think he could handle it. "Trust me," she said, reaching out to beckon him over. "Trust us," she amended. "Damon and I won't let anything happen. Take as little as you want, but take some. Even just a sip."

He walked over, and Damon stopped drinking so he could pay attention to Stefan's movements, ready to stop him if anything happened. "You're fine, Stefan. You can do this."

Stefan leaned in, taking the place Elena had previously occupied. She touched him reassuringly as he bit Miles, trying to keep his self control. He pulled at the blood for no more than a moment, flinging himself away after taking a sip or two. There was barely any blood on his face. He kept himself a safe distance away, his hands shaking, but he maintained his control.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Damon smiled and headed over to get some bourbon for Stefan. His little brother had done well. He hadn't even needed Damon or Elena to step in and pull him off. For being so out of control before, Stefan seemed to be more aware of and in control of himself now.

While he was helping Stefan, Elena sat Miles down on the couch. He was clearly euphoric, and there was a stain on his pants. He really had enjoyed that experience. Elena shouldn't have been surprised but she was. He took a few shallow breaths and then opened his eyes, smiling at Elena. "Thanks," he said.

She shook her head in shock, but responded, "No, thank you." She looked over at Damon, who was sitting next to Stefan now, and he nodded from her to Miles, gesturing to her wrist. "Oh, right," she said, "Sorry. Here," she bit her wrist and offered it to the man, watching him suck her wrist, her blood healing his wounds and restoring his strength. He let the wrist go when he had enough, clearly no stranger to this process. Miles took another moment to compose himself, then reached for his shirt, pulling it on and standing up to stretch.

"Thanks for the call, Damon. Anytime I'm in town, I'd be happy to help." Damon smirked at him, then looked to Elena.

She added, "Yeah, thank you, Miles. Did you want to hang around a little while?" she offered.

He smiled and kissed her on the cheek as she passed, and said, "Thanks, guys, but I have my own vampire to get back to. I'm sure he's missing me by now."

As he walked to the front door to let himself out, Damon called out, "Be sure to tell Aaron I say hello!" Miles laughed and waved as he shut the door behind him.

Damon sat back down on the couch, a fresh crystal tumbler of bourbon on the end table. Elena collapsed on top of him, resting her head in his lap. "Where did you find him?" she asked, bewildered at that whole experience.

"Oh, one of the vampires I was running with a while back made Aaron a vampire, and he took Miles as a sort of--pet--a couple months later." He stroked her hair, smiling down at her. "You look like you enjoyed herself."

She nodded, her head's movements strategically placed on his lap. "As strange as it is to be feeding on someone willing, I enjoyed that more than compelling someone not to be afraid and then to forget me."

He nodded his assent. "I thought you wound. Stefan?"

The younger Salvatore took his now empty glass and sat on the other end of the couch, pulling Elena's legs onto his lap. "It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I didn't feel as out of control as before."

"Good," Elena said. "It's a start, then." She smiled and closed her eyes. Reaching a hand out for Stefan, she snuggled into Damon's lap and fell asleep. Looking over at one another, Damon and Stefan smiled and let her sleep, knowing that they had a hell of a day awaiting them tomorrow. It was going to be tough for all of them, and not just because it was the first time the three of them would all be together as lovers in front of their friends, but because all the Originals were unpredictable, and Katherine was just as dangerous. They smiled and closed their eyes as well, the girl of their dreams asleep between them. 


	16. A Penny for Your Thoughts

Elena groaned as she woke up, feeling the weight and discomfort of two other sets of limbs on top of and intertwined with her own. They were still on the couch from last night. Both Damon and Stefan had moved in their sleep, and she was now the filling in a Salvatore sandwich. She looked over at Stefan, who seemed extremely comfortable, and smacked the nearest part of him to wake him up. Damon felt the movement and heard the smack land, so he awoke laughing. "Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the couch," he said with a smirk. Elena rubbed her eyes and then glared at him. 

"Don't push me, Damon. This is going to be a hard enough day as it is."

Damon and Stefan looked at one another, knowing that Elena was snapping because of her nervousness. But it would all be okay. It would have to be. 

Stefan removed himself from the tangle of bodies to stand up and hold out his hand. "Why don't you go get ready, while Damon and I make something for breakfast? We can all head out together in about an hour." Elena sighed and then smiled grudgingly.

"I'm sorry, yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I am just worried about--"

Damon chimed in, cutting off her defense of her attitude. "It's fine, Elena. You shouldn't have to worry about us along with everything else. Just go get ready."

She nodded, thankful at not having to deal with problems at home as well as everything else. Heading off to her room, Elena took her time in the shower, the water hot enough that as it pounded down on her skin it shut out everything else. When she was done, she picked out a shirt and light jacket to wear with her jeans, forgoing earrings and grabbing a cute scarf instead. 

She came back down to find the boys both dressed and in the kitchen. Damon had cooked while Stefan went out and hunted down his breakfast, and then came back to help finish up. When she sat down, Damon handed her a glass of blood, slightly warmed and smelling delicious. When she had downed that, he set a plate of pancakes in front of her, with some berries and whipped cream on top. She looked up at him dubiously. "Since when do you have berries and pancake ingredients in the house?" 

"What? I like to cook. I like to eat, and not just things that are still living. You don't like pancakes?" he asked, ready to take the plate away.

"I love pancakes," she said, holding the plate to the counter to keep him from trying to take it. "Thank you. Both of you." She smiled sweetly and dug in to her breakfast, devouring half of it before Stefan or Damon plated their own and sat down. 

Before they knew it, the time had come to go to the Mikaelson house, where all the original family and many of their friends would be waiting. Who knew what would happen then? The originals were unpredictable, and most importantly, not exactly trustworthy. Elena would like to believe that Elijah had everyone's best interests at heart, but he had betrayed her before, and who knew what other loyalties would supersede theirs.

They piled into the SUV, with Damon driving and Elena in the front seat. Stefan sat behind Damon, but reached out to hold Elena's hand along the way. It was a short drive--much too short, and there was so much that could go wrong. 

They stepped out in front of the mansion, seeing that Caroline, Bonnie, Jeremy, Tyler, and Matt had carpooled as well. Matt, Bonnie, and Jeremy were in one car, and Tyler and Caroline had come in another. They were getting out of their car, ready to go inside, when they saw Elena, Damon, and Stefan. Jeremy and Elena's relationship was still a bit rocky, not only because he was becoming a hunter, but because of her actions when under the hunter's curse. Things wouldn't easily be resolved between the two. Still, between Matt and Bonnie, she was sure he would be taken care of. Even though they had lost every family member they had ever had, they still had each other, and she knew things would eventually be okay between them. 

But Jeremy and Matt didn't know about Elena's choice to be with both Stefan and Damon. Jeremy had previously been pretty opinionated about Elena's love life, and Matt was the only real human left, so he certainly wouldn't ever be happy with her dating another vampire, let alone two (brothers). Elena decided to pull the bandaid off quickly, reaching out to take Stefan's hand in her own after he closed the car door. Given their recent breakup, Matt and Jeremy seemed somewhat surprised to see them holding hands. But when Damon came around to their side of the car, Elena took his hand as well, making a point to look at him lovingly as she did so, then turning around to smile at Stefan too. 

The three of them and greeted the rest of their group, smiling pointedly when both Bonnie and Caroline gave them all glances that suggested they still weren't too happy about this situation. Still, Caroline, trying to be a better friend, smiled at them finally and said, "Hey guys! How weird is this whole thing, right?" 

Then she grabbed Matt and tugged him away from the group, along with Tyler, who didn't look very surprised to see evidence of their relationship. Caroline must have told her boyfriend everything. Bonnie similarly led Jeremy away, both to keep him from the vampires, but also to tell him to calm down about his sister and let her make her own choices. They heard her reassuring them as they walked into the house, and Elena held her lovers close, hoping this wouldn't be a complete disaster.

Elijah welcomed them into the house, leading them into the dining room, where and extra-long table had been set up to accommodate everyone. Klaus, Kol, and Rebekah sat at one end, looking like sullen teenagers. Nearer to the center, Katherine sat with her arms crossed and her eyes fixed on Klaus. She looked like she was afraid he would jump up at any moment and steal her away to torture her for the next century before killing her slowly.

Elijah sat Tyler and Caroline next to Katherine, then Bonnie, Matt, and Jeremy together, and then allowed Elena, Damon, and Stefan to fill the remaining seats near the original family. Elijah himself sat between Katherine and his siblings. 

Many eyes fixated on Elena as people saw that she was seated between the two Salvatores, looking very uncomfortable. Both their chairs were tilted towards her, and while Damon's arm rested on the back of her chair, they could just barely see that Stefan's hand was clutched in hers on her lap. No one commented on it, but there were expressions on everyone's faces that revealed their reactions--some smirks, some grimaces, some grins.

Elijah declined to comment on their new relationship, instead addressing everyone. "Thank you all for coming. I realize that hell must have frozen over given that you are all seated calmly in the same room right now, and I appreciate your cooperation. I have decided upon a course of action that I believe will address some of the problems we seem to be having amongst ourselves, and I assumer that you will all participate."

Klaus spoke first, "What makes you think, brother, that you can force me to do anything?"

"No one may be forced into this, Niklaus. It is my belief that you will participate voluntarily." Klaus flashed a devious grin as his half-brother finished speaking, though the elder vampire's confidence didn't waver.

Bonnie spoke, asking, "What exactly do you propose to do?"

Elijah smiled, and answered, "How fitting that it be you to ask, as I will require your assistance for this to work." 

"So it's a spell or something?" Matt asked, concerned.

"Yes. My plan is to recreate a similar spell to the one that our mother worked on my brothers and sister. By uniting us, our fates will be tied together."

A rush of arguments broke out, with everyone protesting at the idea of being linked with anyone else in the room. Elijah silenced everyone, and spoke again. "Listen to me. I have planned this out very specifically for our group. Things cannot continue as they have, and so I urge you all to agree to my suggestion. If not..." he broke off, and they all looked at him expectantly. "I will request--forcefully if necessary--that you leave Mystic Falls. Permanently."

This time, the room was silent.

It was Rebekah who spoke up first. "What exactly do we get out of this, Elijah?"

He looked at her patiently. "Sister, this is not how we are meant to behave. Do you not think that life would be better if we could all coexist peacefully?"

She glared, and began to argue with him, but he silenced her. "I truly believe this is the best course of action for us all. It does not favor any one person over another, and will keep us all in check."

When there were no further verbal complaints, he continued. "I have divided us into groups of three, with the exception of Bonnie. She will link us in these groups, within which our fates are linked. If one is injured, so are the others. If one is killed, so are the others. Bonnie will be linked to all of us, so that if one of us tries to break the spell by killing her, we will all perish. This ensures that the link will be completely equal."

Counting up the people in the room, Stefan added, "So you're including yourself in this?"

"Of course," he said. "I said we would be equal, not that I am above all of you. I am well aware of the issues with my own allegiances," he finished, looking between Katherine at his side and his brother at the end of the table. He then looked pointedly at Elena, hoping that this would once and for all renew her trust in him. 

Tyler was gruff when he asked, "So, what are these groups?"

Elijah nodded and explained. "Based on the problems that have arisen among us, I have decided that the best possible use of this spell is to put Rebekah in a group with Matt and Stefan, Kol with Damon and Jeremy, Klaus with Tyler and Caroline, and myself with Katherine and Elena. For this spell it is important that those two remain together or the magic might be disturbed because of them being doppelgangers. As I said before, Bonnie will connect us in those groups and then link us all to her. Thoughts?"

The room was quiet as everyone processed the implications of those groupings. Elijah had been prudent in his choices--it would solve a lot of the problems they had been having, although nothing could really ever solve some of the things they had all done to one another. No matter what happened, Elena and Jeremy would never be able to forgive Klaus for what he had done to their aunt. There was little love among the original family, but at the end they were still family and would not doing anything permanent to hurt one another.

"Okay," Elena said. She hated Katherine and didn't exactly want to be linked to her, but she trusted that Elijah wouldn't let any harm come to her. Truth be told, she though she got off easier than some of the others. 

"Fine." Klaus agreed hastily, before adding, "There are other ways to make you suffer."

Elijah looked over at him, raising an eyebrow. Klaus glared and turned away. 

Their arbitrator looked around the room, needing affirmations from everyone. Grudgingly, they all agreed. 

"Very well," he said, asking Bonnie to prepare herself to perform the spell. He gestured to the next room, which held a table with all the ingredients she might need for a spell of this type. 

She looked over it all, and then came back to say, "I need blood from all of you." She went through each group, taking a small amount of blood from each person in it, then linked them in a way similar to the tree map that Esther had made. When she finished, she added, "It's somewhat like the spell that Katherine had put on Elena that time," she turned to Klaus and said, "You stab them, you get stabbed too. You punch them, you get punched. But if they die, even if they would come back normally, you die too. Keep that in mind."

When she finished, she sat back down and let the fallout begin. Elijah stood up again, now linked to both Katherine and Elena, and said, "Okay, everyone. Let's be mature about this, now. Live your lives, but be conscious that every move you make affects those around you, as well as yourself."

A little shocked at the events of the day, people didn't say much to each other as they got up to leave. Damon and Stefan went to Elena and surrounded her, not speaking as they walked out and went to the car. Once they were safely inside and driving away, Stefan finally asked, "You okay?"

She nodded, still thinking it was all very surreal. "What about you guys?" she asked in response, knowing that it would have to be weird being bonded to Rebekah or Kol. It was effective, though. They couldn't kill Klaus because of their bloodline, and now all the other originals were off limits too.

Damon shrugged predictably, internalizing the weirdness he felt. "It could be worse," he finally said. Stefan agreed. 

"And the whole 'coming out as a triad' thing, too. Not as bad as I expected," Elena said, generally relieved at the whole day's events. Not only could she feel comfortable in her new relationship around her friends and enemies, but also she could rest easier knowing that everybody now had a serious investment in keeping everyone else safe and happy.

Though it would certainly bring its own challenges, this just might be a good solution to all the problems that had been developing recently. Maybe nobody would die this year. Hah, Elena thought, right. Like that was even possible.


	17. Let Bygones be Bygones

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is the penultimate chapter! It's been a fun ride. I'm thinking of having one shots in this universe after I finish this story, so I'd love to have suggestions for adventures and problems for the triad!

The three still had a long way to go, but having more confidence that one of them wouldn't be killed at any given moment certainly helped. Though Rebekah wasn't exactly the best person in the world, Elena believed that Matt and Stefan were both safe as long as they were linked to her. Damon, on the other hand, seemed to have gotten the worst deal. Kol didn't seem to have the self-restraint that Rebekah and Elijah sometimes displayed, and certainly didn't have Klaus's planning skills, making him the most unpredictable. He had also already shown he wasn't above hurting Jeremy, and he definitely had it out for Damon.

Elena knew she was safe. There was something unstated between Katherine and Elijah, a certain comfort that seemed long-lived, like it was already established. She remembered hearing how Katherine had killed herself and knew that her relationship between Klaus and Elijah had initially been complicated in a different way. Klaus hunting her for all these years might not have changed that, for her or for Elijah. Klaus may have wanted her for her blood, but Elijah seemed to want her for her heart. He seemed happier with her around, and maybe he could keep Katherine from destroying everyone else's lives.

They had arrived back at the boarding house, exhausted from the day's negotiations, but thankful--or at least Stefan and Elena were--that the next day was Saturday, and they wouldn't have to worry about going to school and seeing everyone that was in school or pretending to be again.

That is, until Jeremy showed up. He was developing his hunter's skills quickly, though there would be considerably fewer rogue vampires around for him to practice on if everyone stayed on their best behavior. They just had to make sure that he wasn't dangerous to be around; if Elena couldn't trust her brother and vice versa, she would be heart broken. 

When he knocked on the door, the three vampires all had tumblers significantly filled with bourbon, on their second round. Damon still drank the most of all, partly to keep himself in check, and partly, Elena surmised, in memory of Alaric, whose absence hurt Damon perhaps more than anyone.

Elena listened for a moment then stood up hesitantly, turning to her lovers as she set down her glass. "I've got it," she said. "It's Jeremy."

There seemed to be concern from both Stefan and Damon about the two Gilberts interacting up close, but neither of them moved to stop her from answering the door. She opened it, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear nervously as she looked up to see Jeremy standing there.

"Hey," she said neutrally. He responded in kind.

"Come in," she offered, gesturing inside the boarding house.

"Like I need an invitation," he said bitingly, and Elena winced as she shut the door behind him. 

"Jeremy Gilbert," Damon greeted, smiling someone insincerely. "How ya been?"

"Well, I was alright, until I heard that you've been sleeping with my sister." Elena turned her head and winced, and Stefan pursed his lips and poured himself more bourbon. 

"That," Damon announced, "is really none of your business."

Before Damon and Jeremy could get into a shouting match, or worse, an actual fight, Elena broke in and touched Jeremy on the shoulder, moving to face him by standing directly in front of Damon. 

"Don't touch me, Elena," he said, jerking away from her.

"Jeremy, you can't care about who I'm sleeping with and want to kill me. If you love me, let me be happy. I'm happy, Jeremy, can't you see that?'

"How can you be happy with these two assholes? They're obviously using you. Stefan," he changed his focus, addressing the younger brother, "I expected more of you, man. I guess I shouldn't have. Vampires are only out for themselves, I guess. I should just kill you both."

"Clearly someone wasn't listening earlier. Killing me," said Damon, "means also killing yourself. And killing my brother here," he gestured to Stefan, "means killing your best friend, remember? Matt. The lone human among us. Are you really willing to kill your best friend and yourself to get revenge on the guys making your sister happy?"

"If it means you two will go to hell, then it's a cause I guess I'm willing to die for."

"Jeremy," Elena snapped, not touching him but commanding his attention with her voice, "Stop this. I love them. Both of them. And you're my sister, you're supposed to love me no matter what I do, no matter who I love. Why can't you do that?" 

"My sister died a couple of months ago, and you aren't her."

"Jeremy, you aren't making any sense! Seriously, what is wrong with you? Is that hunter crap getting in your head like the curse did to me?" She turned to Damon and Stefan each, looking desperate and not sure what to do.

Stefan stepped forward, "Actually, that might be the case. Maybe there's a way to have him not be a hunter anymore. Jeremy, how far along is your tattoo?"

Looking very defensive, Jeremy responded, "You're not going to do anything to me! This is who I am now. This is what I am." He calmed himself down a bit, almost like he was fighting another voice in his head. "It's still pretty small. Do you really think that could work?"

Elena reached to get her phone out of her pocket. "I'm calling Bonnie right now. I bet she could help." She stepped out of the room to talk to her witch friend, leaving Stefan and Damon with her brother. 

When she came back, she nodded slightly. "Bonnie's in. But she said we're gonna need help. Definitely Rebekah and Klaus will have to be in on this. They've interacted with the Five significantly before, and Bonnie's gonna need some stuff for the spell. How can we convince them to help?"

Stefan thought for a moment, then texted someone on his phone, a pensive look on his face. Less than a minute later, a strong knock fell on the door.

Damon went to answer it, finding Klaus, Rebekah, and Elijah in their entryway. "Well, I can't say this is a pleasure," he said with some snark.

"Damon, behave," Elena said, and Rebekah strolled in like she owned the place. 

"I see you've already gotten him trained," she said haughtily. "I didn't know Damon Salvatore would be broken so easily." She turned to him and taunted, "Now that Elena's sleeping with you finally, has she gotten you off the human stuff too? I heard that's a prerequisite for being with the perfect Elena Gilbert."

He didn't dignify her with a response, instead turning to Elijah to shake the original vampire's hand, before leading him and Klaus into the living room, resigned to having to deal with them.

"So, Stefan, what's this all about? Rebekah and I are not going to be at your beck and call. What's this favor you're asking for?" Klaus asked, helping himself to some of their best liquor.

"It's not a favor," he said, his hands clasped together. "It will help everyone. Jeremy here has the misfortune of being one of the Five, as you know. We need to fix that, before one of us ends up dead. And by us, I mean all of us. He and Elena need to be on better footing, and they can't do that if he wants to kill every vampire in his path. And if he kills any of us, some of you will die too, remember?" He turned to Rebekah and Elijah, "Like, for example, you or Kol. Klaus, you seem to be safe for the moment, but after he kills any of us, what's to keep him from going after Tyler, or Caroline. That means we're all in danger."

Klaus thought he had the situation well in hand, and he offered, "What's to stop me from fixing this little problem another way? I'll just kill Jeremy, and then that should solve everything."

"Yeah, that would work, if you also wanted to kill your own brother. Haven't you already lost a few of those? There aren't that many members of your family left, Klaus, so why don't you try keeping them around, for once." Damon wasn't holding anything back, and it was going to get him in trouble. 

Elijah stepped in once again to moderate, being the only one there who seemed able to view all perspectives objectively. "Niklaus, we are all sick of the running and the conflict. Let us bring peace to our lives, and try to be happy. Our lives are so long, but they are worthless if they are spent alone or in misery."

Rebekah seemed willing to help, then, and asked, "So what would need to happen? What do you need us for?"

Elena admitted, "Bonnie can do a spell, but she needs someone that belonged to one of the Five. You dated a hunter, right, Rebekah? Maybe you guys have something of his still? And Klaus, you killed one? Surely you kept some kind of souvenir?"

The originals looked at one another, and then seemed to come to some sort of conclusion together. "Nik?" Rebekah asked, knowing if anyone would be unwilling to help, it would be her half brother. 

He thought for a moment, then nodded. "When?"

"Bonnie should be here soon," Stefan said, sitting down on the other side of the couch Damon had seated himself on.

"Fine," Klaus said. "But you'll be owing me a favor. I'll be back soon. Get everything else ready when the witch arrives. I don't want to be kept waiting." He disappeared out the door, taking Rebekah with him. Elijah remained, and seated himself in an armchair, crossing his knees and placing his hands on the arm rests.

"I trust that this will resolve much of the ill will you have for my family," he said, not really asking.

Elena sat herself between the brothers, looking over at Jeremy who decided to stare into the fireplace. "It can't fix everything. I don't think I'll ever really forgive Klaus for everything he's done to my family, but I will try to move past it." She looked to each of her lovers, remembering everything they had individually done to hurt her or those she loved.

"I understand," Elijah responded, knowing the look she gave each of the Salvatores, "And I know how love changes things."

They all sat in an awkward silence, waiting for Bonnie to come to do the spell and Klaus and Rebekah to return with the necessary ingredients, and hoping that nothing fell apart in the meantime. Elena reached a hand out to each brother, squeezing them for support and reassurance.


	18. And the Beat Goes On

It was a while before Bonnie arrived to perform the spell. What would they do without her? Elena was waiting for the time to come when they wouldn't need witchy interference all the time, when life could just be normal again, and she could live with her lovers and just be happy.

Even though Elijah was amenable to helping, the others weren't so eager. Nevertheless, Jeremy was tied to Kol, so it wasn't like they didn't also have some stake in fixing Jeremy.

When Bonnie came in, a bag over her shoulder filled with spell ingredients and props, Elena couldn't help but feel both relieved and nervous all at once. She worried that something would go horribly wrong. It wasn't long after that that Klaus and Rebekah returned, a few objects in hand. "We didn't know what would work best, so we brought a couple of things." Rebekah said, being helpful for once.

Jeremy vacillated between asking for help and trying to kill everyone in the room. At this moment, it was good that he was fairly calm. Things were about to get crazier. Elena needed a pick-me-up, and went down to the basement to grab a blood bag, but also for some space. She walked down the hidden stairs, into the area with the fridge, and took one out, then sensed that Damon was behind her. 

"Damon, what are you--" she began, but he broke in.

"Don't worry, Stefan's up there keeping everyone company." She sighed, leaning back against the fridge, letting herself relax a bit. If Stefan was up there, hopefully everyone would keep making nice and he wouldn't let things get out of hand.

He took the bag out of her hand, smirking. "Just stepping out for a bite?" he asked.

She looked him in the eyes. "I thought it might help center me. I feel all out of control; Jeremy's up there, we're all in danger, this might not work... I just want my brother back. I want things to be normal."

He laughed, but leaned down to kiss her. "Things are never going to be normal."

"No, I get that. I just want them to calm down a bit. I don't want one of us to be in danger every other week. I'd settle for once a month." He smiled then. 

"Well, maybe I can help with that." She looked up at him to protest, wanting to remind him that a lot of the trouble they got in, he started or at least exacerbated. But before she could do so, he picked her up abruptly, setting her down on top of the fridge, which was now closed, a lone blood bag sitting next to her on top of it. 

Stepping in between her legs, he held her close to him and pulled her in for a deep kiss, slow and sensual and making every bit of her ache for him. She couldn't think of anything except the feeling of his body against hers, moving against her matching the rhythms of their tongues mingling. He let her set the pace, working their bodies according to the mood she set.

After a few minutes, he pulled away, hoping that he hadn't gotten them both so worked up that it would make things worse.

"Still feel out of control?" he asked, smiling.

"Yes, but in a very different way," she answered. "Now about that bite..." she said, a smirk gracing her features. She leaned in and bit his neck, savoring the taste and the feel of his blood as she pulled it into her mouth, feeling his own fangs dig into the place where her shoulder met her neck on the other side. It was euphoric, in a different way than sex, but with a similar effect. 

She pulled back, smiling, a little blood at the corner of her mouth. He looked similarly debauched. "Much better than what I came down here for."

"Well, you came down here regardless," he punned. She groaned, not a fan, but still had to agree that he was right. She took a few pulls from the blood bag anyway, handing it to him as she hopped down from the fridge.

"Do I look okay?" she asked, hoping she didn't look like she felt.

He fixed her hair and leaned in to lick a little clotting blood from her neck, the wound closing quickly. "You look amazing," he said. "And I'm sure that Stefan and I will show you how amazing after this whole thing is settled.

"We better get upstairs, then," she beckoned, walking towards the stairs with him following just behind her.

When they entered the living room, it was chaotic enough that only Stefan noticed them return. "Better?" he mouthed to her, and she nodded, smiling sheepishly. 

"Let's do this," Bonnie said, taking control of the situation. "What did you bring?" she asked Klaus and Rebekah. They offered up a few items that belongs to the hunters they had dated and/or killed. Bonnie looked and nodded, saying "This will work. I think I just need to channel this power into Jeremy and remove his hunter's mark. It should just go to the next potential hunter, then. He should revert to being human."

"That's a lot of 'shoulds' there, Bonnie," Elena said cautiously. 

"I'm doing everything I can," she responded, and Elena felt guilty. Bonnie had every reason in the world to want to help Jeremy. She would want this to work, would make it work. 

Backing away from the set up Bonnie had done, with Jeremy opposite her, everyone looked on in silence as she began the spell. 

"Nothing's happening," Klaus announced after a moment. 

"Nothing's happening visibly yet, but nothing will happen at all if you don't let me work!" Bonnie exclaimed at Klaus, not looking away from her spell. He shut up, and she began chanting, then took hold of Jeremy's hand in one of hers, and one of Alexander's artifacts in the other. 

There seemed to be a build-up of power and then nothing. Bonnie was silent another moment, then turned over Jeremy's hand and blew lightly, the tattoo blowing away as if it had never been there. "It's done," she said, sitting back.

"Jer, how do you feel? Any different?" Elena asked her brother, moving forward hesitantly to see how he was.  
Looking at his hand as if still expecting the tattoo to be a part of him, Jeremy was in awe. "It's gone. Not just the tattoo, but the knowledge, and the rage, and the craziness. I'm me again. Oh," he said, realizing how he had behaved. "Elena, I'm so sorry. I tried to..."

"It's all forgiven, Jeremy. It doesn't matter."

"Well, I have people to torture," Klaus said, turning to leave. Rebekah and Elijah followed, clearly not wanting to intrude on the emotional reunion. 

"Bonnie?" Jeremy said, turning to the witch. "Thank you so much. You keep saving us. You are always there for me." 

She went to him, wrapping her arms around him without a second thought. "I'm so glad you're back. And maybe we..." she broke off, unsure at her words. 

"I'd like that," he said, knowing exactly what she meant.

Elena turned to her brother. "Go," she said. "We can catch up later. I'm just glad you're okay again. It's been lonely without you, you know. We just have each other, now."

"No," he said, "we don't." He looked at Stefan and Damon, who came to stand on either side of his sister, then at Bonnie who was clutching his arm. He smiled, and without another word, the two left.

Elena turned to Stefan, who offered a hug. She smiled and kissed him, the taste of Damon's blood still on her lips.  
"Now, Damon, what was it that you and Stefan were going to show me?" she asked teasingly, pulling her lovers towards the couch, a seductive and knowing smile on her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fini! Thanks for sticking with it! I welcome any and all feedback, so thanks for contributing :)


End file.
